|  | Conditions Treatments | Viruses

What Are the Causes of Sudden Nausea & Headache?

Sudden nausea with a headache has many possible causes. Many of these causes, such as carbon monoxide poisoning or a stroke, can be fatal, so these symptoms should not be ignored.

  1. Poisoning

    • Food poisoning, carbon monoxide poisoning, chemical poisoning or swallowing an overdose of medication will bring on nausea and headache very suddenly, according to the University of Maine.

    Altitude

    • Travelling to an area with a much higher altitude than the individual is used to can bring on altitude sickness, also known as acute mountain sickness. The symptoms are caused by a lack of oxygen, according to Family Doctor.org.

    Neurological Causes

    • Some problems of the brain can lead to sudden, severe head pain so bad that it can lead to nausea and vomiting. These include the many types of migraines but also the rare condition of a blood vessel swelling and then bursting the brain, called an aneurysm.

    Injury

    • Concussion or a blow to the head may not immediately feel painful. Sudden headache, nausea and dizziness can come hours later.

    Warning

    • Sudden nausea and headache is accompanied by lack of coordination, loss of vision or a drooping of one side of the face could be a stroke or transient ischemic attack ("mini-stroke"), according to the American Heart Association, and is a medical emergency.

Viruses - Related Articles