How to Diagnose Headaches

Headaches are a common symptom associated with a wide range of medical conditions. Headaches typically fall into one of two categories: primary headaches and secondary headaches. Primary headaches include tension headaches, migraines and cluster headaches, while secondary headaches are caused by a structural problem in the head or neck. You need to speak to your doctor about having headaches diagnosed.

Instructions

• 1

  Discuss your symptoms with a physician after scheduling a consultation. Discuss any additional symptoms you might have, including light sensitivity, nausea, dizziness, runny nose and sinus pressure.

• 2

  Pinpoint where the pain is coming from when you are having a headache. For instance, tension headaches often start at the back of the head, then radiate across the front of the face. The most intense pressure will be felt just above the eyebrows.

• 3

  Keep track of how often you have headaches and how long they last and relay this information to your doctor. As an example, if you are suffering from cluster headaches, the pain might last anywhere from a half-hour to an hour and a half. Also, cluster headaches often occur at the same time of day for extended lengths of time.

• 4

  Get a physical exam from your doctor. He might check for tenderness in the scalp or neck muscles, a sign of tension headaches.

• 5

  Go through testing to determine if the headaches are a result of an underlying condition. Your doctor might use lab tests as well as imaging studies to check for potential causes of your headaches.