Headache and migraine red flags

Most headaches are not caused by a brain tumor or a bleed. A long-standing migraine that behaves as it always has is usually looked after by a physician or a neurologist.

Ask for an urgent check if a headache is the worst of your life and starts suddenly, comes with fever and a stiff neck, follows a head injury, wakes you from sleep with vomiting, or arrives with a seizure, weakness, confusion, or loss of vision. A new headache after the age of 50 also deserves a proper look.

The clinic visit is a history and an examination. A scan is advised when the story or the exam suggests something more than a routine headache.