Don't sleep off that headache: Warning signs that should prompt you to seek treatment

Headache disorders are among the world’s most common neurological conditions. [Courtesy]

A headache is one of those pains we often learn to ignore. It may follow a long day, too little sleep, an empty stomach, or a stressful morning.

You drink some water, take paracetamol or ibuprofen and wait for it to pass.

Most headaches are not signs of something serious, but sometimes the pain can point to what is happening in the body.

Headache disorders are among the world’s most common neurological conditions. The World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates that they affected about 40 per cent of the world’s population, or 3.1 billion people, in 2021.

A 2025 Global Burden of Disease analysis estimated that 2.9 billion people experienced a headache disorder in 2023, representing 34.6 per cent of the global population.

Tension-type headache was the most common, while migraine caused the greatest share of disability. The burden was also more than twice as high among women as men.

Kenyan data are more limited. A study of 711 medical students at Kenyatta National Hospital and Kenya Medical Training College found that 88 per cent had experienced at least one headache in the previous six months, while 33.8 per cent met the study’s criteria for migraine. Although the study is old and does not represent today’s Kenyan population, it illustrates how common headaches can be.

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Headaches broadly fall into two groups. Primary headaches include migraine, which often causes throbbing pain and sensitivity to light or sound; tension headaches, which feel like pressure or tightness around the head; and cluster headaches, which cause intense pain around or behind one eye. Secondary headaches result from another problem, such as an infection, injury, dehydration or medication overuse.

Before treating every headache as something to sleep off, notice its pattern. Where does it hurt? What does it feel like? How long does it last? Are there other symptoms? Those details can be more useful than simply knowing that “my head hurts”

Here are some headache clues worth knowing and what to do: Pressure and tightness often point to tension: A dull, squeezing pain is common with tension-type headaches and can occur with stress, fatigue or muscle tension. Rest, adequate sleep, relaxation, gentle stretching and addressing stress may help.

Throbbing pain can signal migraine: Migraine often causes pulsating pain, commonly on one side, with nausea or sensitivity to light and sound. Resting in a quiet, dark room, staying hydrated and avoiding known triggers may help. Recurrent migraines may require treatment from a healthcare professional.

Hormones can change the pattern: Hormonal fluctuations can trigger migraines in some women. Tracking headaches alongside the menstrual cycle can reveal a pattern and help a healthcare professional guide treatment.

Missing caffeine can hurt: Regular caffeine users may develop withdrawal headaches after suddenly reducing or stopping it. Gradually reducing caffeine can help limit withdrawal headaches.

Too many painkillers can backfire: Frequent use of paracetamol, aspirin or NSAIDs such as ibuprofen can contribute to medication-overuse headaches. If headaches regularly require painkillers, seek medical advice rather than continually increasing their use.

Exercise can sometimes trigger pain: Intense physical exertion can cause headaches. A sudden, severe headache during or immediately after exercise should, however, be medically assessed.

Know when a headache needs more than home care: A sudden, extremely severe headache, particularly one accompanied by weakness, confusion, seizures, fainting, fever, stiff neck or new vision problems, requires urgent medical attention. A headache that becomes increasingly frequent, persistent or noticeably different from usual should also be assessed.