Most headaches will go away on their own and are not a sign of something more serious.

How you can ease headaches yourself

Headaches can last between 30 minutes and several hours.

Do

• drink plenty of water
• get plenty of rest if you have a cold or the flu
• try to relax – stress can make headaches worse
• exercise when you can
• take paracetamol or ibuprofen

Don't

• do not drink alcohol
• do not skip meals (even if you might not feel like eating anything)
• do not sleep more than you usually would – it can make the headache worse
• do not strain your eyes for a long time – for example, by looking at a screen

See a GP if:

• your headache keeps coming back
• painkillers do not help and your headache gets worse
• you have a bad throbbing pain at the front or side of your head – this could be a migraine or, more rarely, a cluster headache
• you feel sick, vomit and find light or noise painful
• you get other symptoms – for example, your arms or legs feel numb or weak

Call 999 or go to A&E if:

• you injured your head badly – for example, from a fall or accident
• the headache came on suddenly and is extremely painful

You have an extremely painful headache and:

• sudden problems speaking or remembering things
• loss of vision
• you're feeling drowsy or confused
• you have a very high temperature, feel hot and shivery, and have a stiff neck or a rash
• the white part of your eye is red

What can cause headaches

The most common reasons are:

• having a cold or the flu
• stress
• drinking too much alcohol
• bad posture
• eyesight problems
• not eating regular meals
• not drinking enough fluids (dehydration)
• taking too many painkillers