Mild and familiar.
Hydration, regular meals, sleep and suitable pharmacy pain relief may help. Keep a record if headaches recur.
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Headaches & migraine · GP care
See the headache pattern. Know when it is urgent.
Most headaches are not serious, but timing, associated symptoms and a change from your usual pattern matter. A GP can review likely triggers, migraine features, medicines and whether examination or investigation is needed.
A headache diary can reveal frequency and treatment overuse. A sudden extreme headache or new neurological symptoms need emergency care, not an online appointment.
Choose a suitable route
Choose the right starting point.
A familiar mild headache may respond to self-care, while frequent, changing or disabling symptoms deserve review.
Recurring, changing or disruptive.
Arrange a review for frequent headaches, suspected migraine, worsening pattern, pain on waking, treatment failure or regular painkiller use.
Explore GP appointmentsSudden, neurological or prolonged.
Use 999 for sudden extreme pain or neurological symptoms. Use NHS 111 for prolonged migraine, prolonged aura or pregnancy-related concern.
Contact NHS 111Taking painkillers on more than two days a week can contribute to more headaches in some people. Do not abruptly change prescribed migraine medicines without advice.
Notice the pattern
What changes the next step.
Location, duration, associated symptoms and the way pain begins help distinguish common patterns.
Tension-type pattern
Pressure or tightness around the head, often on both sides, may occur with stress, posture, tiredness or eye strain.
Migraine pattern
Throbbing pain, often one-sided, may come with nausea and sensitivity to light or sound, with or without aura.
Frequency and triggers
Sleep, meals, dehydration, hormones, caffeine, alcohol, stress and medicines can affect timing.
Red-flag change
Sudden onset, neurological symptoms, fever and stiff neck, pregnancy, injury or a major new pattern changes the urgency.
New headaches later in life, progressive worsening, headache triggered by coughing or exertion, or symptoms that wake you repeatedly should be discussed with a clinician.
A focused GP assessment
Use the pattern to guide examination and treatment.
A GP can assess the history, perform relevant neurological and physical checks and decide whether investigation is proportionate.
Explore in-person GP care01
Map each episode.
Discuss onset, location, quality, duration, frequency, aura, nausea, light or sound sensitivity and recovery.
02
Review context and medicines.
Cover sleep, hydration, meals, caffeine, hormones, stress, blood pressure, injury and all acute or preventive treatment.
03
Check for secondary causes.
A neurological examination, eye or blood-pressure check, blood tests or referral may be advised when the history indicates.
A proportionate plan
Reduce both pain and future disruption.
A complete plan covers early treatment, trigger management, safe medicine use and prevention when attacks are frequent.
01
Treat early and safely
Use suitable acute treatment as directed and avoid exceeding recommended frequency or combining products unknowingly.
02
Support regular routines
Consistent sleep, meals, fluids, movement and measured caffeine intake can reduce avoidable triggers for some people.
03
Consider prevention
Frequent or disabling migraine may justify preventive medicine or specialist review, chosen around health history and pregnancy plans.
Headache treatment in pregnancy or when trying to conceive needs individual advice. Mention pregnancy plans before starting or changing migraine medicine.
Prepare for a useful review
Bring a four-week headache diary if you can.
Record the date, start time, duration, location, severity, associated symptoms, possible trigger, period timing and effect on activity.
List every painkiller and migraine treatment, dose timing and days used each month. Bring blood-pressure readings, eye-test information and relevant pregnancy or medical history.
Explore GP appointments ↗Good to know
Questions about headaches and migraine.
Practical answers to help you choose a sensible next step without trying to diagnose the concern yourself.
When is a headache an emergency?
Call 999 for a sudden extremely painful headache or headache with weakness, speech or memory problems, confusion, seizure, loss of vision, meningitis signs or serious head injury.
What is migraine aura?
Aura can include temporary visual changes, tingling, dizziness or difficulty speaking before or during migraine. New or prolonged neurological symptoms need urgent assessment.
Can painkillers cause headaches?
Frequent use can contribute to medication-overuse headache. NHS migraine advice warns that using painkillers more than two days a week can make headaches harder to treat.
Will I need a brain scan?
Most recurring headaches do not automatically require imaging. A clinician bases examination and investigation on the pattern and any warning signs.
Clinical information: NHS migraineNHS headachesNHS meningitis. This information is general and does not replace individual medical advice.