What Is a Headache?

A headache is pain in the head. Some people also feel it in the scalp, face, jaw, or neck. The pain can feel dull, sharp, throbbing (beating), or like tight pressure.

A headache may last for minutes, hours, or even days, depending on the cause.

Common Causes of Headaches

1) Stress and tension

Stress, worry, and mental tiredness can cause tension headaches. This can happen with long working hours, family pressure, or financial stress.

It often feels like a tight band or heavy pressure around the head.

2) Lack of sleep

Sleeping too little, sleeping at different times each day, or poor-quality sleep can trigger headaches. Late-night phone use, shift work, noise, and stress can also affect sleep.

3) Dehydration (not drinking enough water)

When you do not drink enough water, you may get a dehydration headache. This is common in hot weather, when you sweat a lot, during fever, or with diarrhoea and vomiting.

4) Hunger or skipping meals: Skipping meals can lower blood sugar and trigger headache, weakness, shaking, or dizziness, especially if you are busy, travelling, or fasting.

5) Eye strain: Staring at a phone, computer, or reading for many hours can strain the eyes and cause headaches. If you squint, get blurry vision, or sit very close to screens, you may need an eye test or glasses.

6) Infections and illnesses: Some illnesses can cause headache, such as malaria, flu/colds, sinus infection, viral infections, and high blood pressure.

You may also have fever, body pains, weakness, nausea, or a blocked/runny nose, depending on the illness.

Common Types of Headaches

Tension Headaches

These are the most common type of headaches. They are commonly linked to stress, fatigue, poor posture, or lack of sleep.

Common symptoms include:

• Mild to moderate pain
• Tight pressure around the forehead (like a band)
• Tightness in the scalp, jaw, shoulders, or neck

Migraine Headaches

Migraines are usually more severe and may cause the following:

• Throbbing (beating) pain, often on one side
• Feeling sick (nausea) or vomiting
• Sensitivity to light, noise, or strong smells

Some people notice warning signs called aura before a migraine, such as flashing lights, blurred vision, or tingling in the face or hand.

Sinus Headaches

These headaches are associated with sinus infections or inflammation. Symptoms may include:

• Pain or pressure in the face (forehead, cheeks, around the eyes)
• Blocked nose or thick nasal discharge
• Fever (sometimes)

When Should You Worry About a Headache?

Although many headaches are harmless, some may require urgent medical attention.

Seek medical care immediately if you have a headache that:

• Starts suddenly and is extremely severe (the “worst headache of your life”)
• Happens after a head injury
• Comes with weakness, numbness, face drooping, or difficulty walking
• Comes with speech difficulties, confusion, fainting, or seizures
• Comes with a stiff neck and high fever
• Gets worse over days, or is very different from your usual headaches

Persistent or frequently recurring headaches should also be evaluated by a healthcare professional.

African Healthcare Realities

In many communities, people may quickly assume a headache is malaria. Malaria can cause headache, but it is not the only cause.

If possible, get tested (for example, a malaria rapid test) before taking antimalarial medicine. Taking medicines “just in case” can delay finding the real cause and may lead to side effects.

Daily life factors can also trigger headaches, such as long hours at work or school, long commutes/traffic, heat, dehydration, missed meals, and poor sleep.

What Can Help Reduce Headaches?

Simple steps that may help prevent or reduce headaches include:

• Drink enough water (more in hot weather or if you are sweating)
• Eat regular meals (do not skip breakfast if you can help it)
• Sleep at a regular time and aim for enough rest
• Take short breaks from screens; reduce brightness and avoid using your phone in the dark
• Manage stress (deep breathing, stretching, short walks, talking to someone you trust)
• Improve posture (especially if you sit, braid hair, sew, drive, or use a computer for long hours)

Be careful with frequent pain medicine. Using painkillers too often (for example, most days of the week) can sometimes cause “medicine-overuse headache” and can also harm the stomach, kidneys, or liver. If you need pain medicine often, please see a healthcare professional.