A doctor has warned that if you show certain signs and symptoms when you are having a headache, you should contact your GP. Whilst most headaches are “harmless”, the expert warns that “if someone has a new headache or new features those might need to be evaluated further.”
Among the most worrying are thunderclap headaches. These sound bad – and they are.
Taking To TikTok, Doctor Bing said there are “three headache symptoms that should never be ignored”. So what are they and what could they mean?
In the first warning, he says that this headache “reaches 10 out of 10 pain within a minute and people usually describe it as the worst headache of their lives.” Because of the severe pain, the doctor warns: “The most important thing here is to rule out a subarachnoid haemorrhage usually caused by a ruptured aneurysm. But there can be other causes as well.”
A subarachnoid haemorrhage is an uncommon type of stroke caused by bleeding on the surface of the brain. It’s a very serious condition and can be fatal, warns the NHS.
The doctor continues by saying that other causes “includes things like RCVS which is intermittent narrowing of the blood vessels in the brain as well as cerebral venous thrombosis which is a clot in a major vein in the brain.”
He says that as we age, the chance of developing a new primary headache like a migraine decreases and because of this, secondary causes like hematomas, brain tumours and infections – to name a few – need to be ruled out.
Another warning sign to look out for is if someone over the age of 50 has a new headache and vision changes. You should also keep an eye out for scalp tenderness and pain whilst chewing.
The doctor warns it could be giant cell arteritis. He explains: “This is an inflammatory condition of the blood vessels and can lead to permanent blindness if not treated quickly with high dose steroids.”
In his third and final warning, the health guru says that if you have a headache with a “drooping of one eyelid, dilation of that pupil and double vision”, then seek medical help.
He warns: “I specifically mentioned this because it’s one of the few times that we can catch a brain aneurysm before it ruptures. The specific set of symptoms can be caused by an aneurysm compressing on the third cranial nerve.” This needs to be treated urgently, he stresses.
The NHS says that common causes of headaches include:
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