Headache is pain in any region of the head. Headaches may occur on one or both sides of the head, be isolated to a certain location, radiate across the head from one point, or have a viselike quality.

A headache may appear as a sharp pain, a throbbing sensation or a dull ache. Headaches can develop gradually or suddenly, and may last from less than an hour to several days.

From Mayo Clinic to your inbox

Sign up for free and stay up to date on research advancements, health tips, current health topics, and expertise on managing health. Click here for an email preview.

We use the data you provide to deliver you the content you requested. To provide you with the most relevant and helpful information, we may combine your email and website data with other information we have about you. If you are a Mayo Clinic patient, we will only use your protected health information as outlined in our Notice of Privacy Practices. You may opt out of email communications at any time by clicking on the unsubscribe link in the email.

June 03, 2020

See also

  1. Acromegaly
  2. Acute sinusitis
  3. Acute sinusitis: Do over-the-counter treatments help?
  4. Alcohol intolerance
  5. Alleviating migraine pain
  6. Amenorrhea
  7. Anemia
  8. Aneurysms
  9. Antidepressant withdrawal: Is there such a thing?
  10. Antidepressants and alcohol: What's the concern?
  11. Antidepressants and weight gain: What causes it?
  12. Antidepressants: Can they stop working?
  13. Antidepressants: Selecting one that's right for you
  14. Antidepressants: Side effects
  15. Antidepressants: Which cause the fewest sexual side effects?
  16. Aplastic anemia
  17. Arteriovenous malformation
  18. Aspergillosis
  19. Astigmatism
  20. Astrocytoma
  21. Atypical antidepressants
  22. Bee sting
  23. Behcet disease
  24. Bell's palsy
  25. Brain aneurysm
  26. Brain AVM (arteriovenous malformation)
  27. Brain tumor
  28. Brain tumor FAQs
  29. Brucellosis
  30. Bump on the head: When is it a serious head injury?
  31. Carbon monoxide poisoning
  32. Carotid artery disease
  33. Central sleep apnea
  34. Chiari malformation
  35. Child abuse
  36. Chordoma
  37. Chronic sinusitis
  38. Clinical depression: What does that mean?
  39. Coarctation of the aorta
  40. Cold and flu viruses: How long can they live outside the body?
  41. Cold or allergy: Which is it?
  42. Cold remedies
  43. Cold sore
  44. Cold symptoms: Does drinking milk increase phlegm?
  45. Common cold
  46. Concussion
  47. Concussion in children
  48. Concussion Recovery
  49. Concussion Telemedicine
  50. Cough headaches
  51. CPAP machines: Tips for avoiding 10 common problems
  52. Craniopharyngioma
  53. Craving and chewing ice: A sign of anemia?
  54. CSF leak (Cerebrospinal fluid leak)
  55. Cushing syndrome
  56. Dehydration
  57. Delusional parasitosis
  58. Dengue fever
  59. Depression (major depressive disorder)
  60. Depression and anxiety: Can I have both?
  61. Depression in women: Understanding the gender gap
  62. Depression, anxiety and exercise
  63. Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma
  64. Diffuse midline glioma (DMG)
  65. Do zinc supplements shorten colds?
  66. Ear infection (middle ear)
  67. Early HIV symptoms: What are they?
  68. Ehrlichiosis and anaplasmosis
  69. Eisenmenger syndrome
  70. Encephalitis
  71. Eyestrain
  72. Farsightedness
  73. Fever
  74. Fever treatment: Quick guide to treating a fever
  75. Fibromuscular dysplasia
  76. Fibromyalgia
  77. Flu masks
  78. Flu shots
  79. Flu vaccine: Safe for people with egg allergy?
  80. Flu: When to see a doctor?
  81. Galactorrhea
  82. Genital herpes
  83. Genital herpes: Can you get it from a toilet seat?
  84. Giant cell arteritis
  85. Glioblastoma
  86. Glioma
  87. H1N1 flu (swine flu)
  88. Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome
  89. Headaches and stress
  90. Headaches in children
  91. Heat exhaustion
  92. Heatstroke
  93. Hemophilia
  94. He's the bravest kid I've ever seen
  95. High-dose flu vaccines: How are they different from other flu vaccines?
  96. Histoplasmosis
  97. HIV/AIDS
  98. Humidifiers
  99. Hyperglycemia in diabetes
  100. Hyperparathyroidism
  101. Hyponatremia
  102. Hypoparathyroidism
  103. Impacted wisdom teeth
  104. Influenza (flu)
  105. Infographic: Lung Cancer
  106. Intermittent explosive disorder
  107. Intracranial hematoma
  108. Iron deficiency anemia
  109. Jellyfish stings
  110. Lead poisoning
  111. Listeria infection
  112. Living with Brain Tumors
  113. Living with Lupus
  114. Long Term Brain Cancer Survivor
  115. Low blood sodium in older adults: A concern?
  116. Lung cancer
  117. Lupus
  118. Lyme disease
  119. Malaria
  120. Male depression: Understanding the issues
  121. Managing Meningitis
  122. MAOIs and diet: Is it necessary to restrict tyramine?
  123. Marathon and the Heat
  124. Marijuana and depression
  125. Mayo Clinic Minute: Arteriovenous malformation or AVM
  126. Mayo Clinic Minute: Meningitis 101 for college students
  127. Mayo Clinic Minute: Prevent migraines with magnetic stimulation
  128. Mayo Clinic Minute: Weathering migraines
  129. Mayo Clinic Minute: What is an aneurysm?
  130. Mayo Clinic Minute: Why getting vaccinated for the flu is doubly important this season
  131. Mayo Clinic Minute: Will there be a Lyme disease vaccine for humans?
  132. Meningioma
  133. Meningitis
  134. Mental health providers: Tips on finding one
  135. Mental health: Overcoming the stigma of mental illness
  136. Mental illness
  137. Migraine
  138. Migraine FAQs
  139. Migraine medicines and antidepressants
  140. Migraine treatment: Can antidepressants help?
  141. Migraines and gastrointestinal problems: Is there a link?
  142. Migraines and Vertigo
  143. Migraines: Are they triggered by weather changes?
  144. Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs)
  145. Mononucleosis
  146. Mononucleosis and Epstein-Barr: What's the connection?
  147. Mononucleosis: Can it recur?
  148. Myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody-associated disease (MOGAD)
  149. Myocarditis
  150. Nasal polyps
  151. Nasopharyngeal carcinoma
  152. Natural remedies for depression: Are they effective?
  153. Nearsightedness
  154. Neti pot: Can it clear my nose?
  155. New Test for Preeclampsia
  156. New Way to Fix Aneurysms
  157. Nighttime panic attacks: What causes them?
  158. Obstructive sleep apnea
  159. Obstructive Sleep Apnea
  160. Obstructive sleep apnea: What happens?
  161. Occipital nerve stimulation: Effective migraine treatment?
  162. Ocular migraine: When to seek help
  163. Paget's disease of bone
  164. Pain and depression: Is there a link?
  165. Parvovirus infection
  166. Persistent post-concussive symptoms (Post-concussion syndrome)
  167. Petroleum jelly: Safe for a dry nose?
  168. Pheochromocytoma
  169. Pituitary tumors
  170. Plague
  171. Plugged ears: What is the remedy?
  172. Pneumonia
  173. Polio
  174. Polycystic kidney disease
  175. Polycythemia vera
  176. Polymorphous light eruption
  177. Postpartum preeclampsia
  178. Preeclampsia
  179. Premenstrual dysphoric disorder
  180. Presbyopia
  181. Prolactinoma
  182. Pseudotumor cerebri (idiopathic intracranial hypertension)
  183. Pulmonary edema
  184. Punk Guitarist Survives Brain Tumor
  185. Rabies
  186. Radiation sickness
  187. Recurrent breast cancer
  188. Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)
  189. Rhabdomyolysis
  190. Rubella
  191. Salmonella infection
  192. Scarlet fever
  193. Schwannomatosis
  194. Self-care for the flu
  195. Serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs)
  196. Serotonin syndrome
  197. Shingles
  198. Shingles and alcohol
  199. Shingles vaccine: Can I transmit the vaccine virus to others?
  200. Shingles vaccine: Should I get it?
  201. Sinus infection and toothache: Any connection?
  202. Skull base tumors
  203. Sleep apnea
  204. Smallpox
  205. Staph infections
  206. Strep throat
  207. Stroke
  208. Stroke rehabilitation
  209. Strokes FAQ Neurologist Robert D. Brown, Jr. M.D., M.P.H., answers the most frequently asked questions about strokes.
  210. Sun damage
  211. Sunburn
  212. Super Survivor Conquers Cancer
  213. Takayasu's arteritis
  214. Teen depression
  215. Teeth grinding (bruxism)
  216. Tension headache
  217. Thermometers: Understand the options
  218. Thrombocytosis
  219. Thunderclap headaches
  220. TMJ disorders
  221. Tonsillitis
  222. Toxic shock syndrome
  223. Traumatic brain injury
  224. Treatment of parathyroid disease at Mayo Clinic
  225. Treatment-resistant depression
  226. Trichinosis
  227. Typhoid fever
  228. Valley fever
  229. Video: 3 things you didn't know about cold sores
  230. Vitamin B-12 and depression
  231. Walking pneumonia
  232. What is a brain tumor? A Mayo Clinic expert explains
  233. What is a migraine? A Mayo Clinic expert explains
  234. What is a stroke? A Mayo Clinic expert explains
  235. What is depression? A Mayo Clinic expert explains.
  236. What's the difference between H1N1 flu and influenza A?
  237. Which CPAP masks are best for you?
  238. Whiplash
  239. Wisdom teeth removal: When is it necessary?