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Signs and symptoms or circumstances of headache
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Possible cause
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Following recent fall, hit to the head, car accident
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Concussion — medical consult
Intracranial bleeding eg subdural haemorrhage (haemorrhage can occur up to 7 days
post-trauma)
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Sudden or progressive neurological symptoms — weakness, clumsiness, loss of balance,
altered sensation of limbs, vision or speech changes, depressed level of consciousness
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Suspected intracranial bleeding OR clot (stroke) — medical consult
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Fever, vomiting, photophobia (sensitivity to light)
Non-blanching rash with flat red-purple blotches, neck stiffness, irritability in
babies
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Meningitis
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Abrupt and severe at onset +/- photophobia
Neck stiffness, syncope (depressed level of consciousness if severe)
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Sub-arachnoid haemorrhage — medical consult
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Occurs in morning with vomiting, worsens over time
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Raised intracranial pressure OR tumour — medical consult
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In pregnancy or early postpartum —
A new and/or severe headache with high BP, visual disturbances, +/- abdominal pain
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Severe preeclampsia
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Sudden loss or blurring of vision
Painful red eye, nausea/vomiting, recent bleeding in eye or drops to dilate pupil
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Acute glaucoma
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After playing sport, walking or working in heat
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Heat illness
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Other causes of headaches
- Tension, migraine
- Infection — dental or ear
- Dehydration
- Drug withdrawal, hangover
- Shingles — one sided head/facial rash
- Side effect of medications
- Bites and stings — centipede or redback spider
- High BP
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