But if you have severe or recurring headaches, seek medical attention.

Our neurology team addresses the physical, emotional, and environmental factors that cause headaches. We provide diagnosis and treatment for chronic headaches, migraines, tension headaches, and cluster headaches.

Most headaches do not require medical attention and will disappear on their own. However, you should seek medical attention if you experience any of these symptoms:

• Sudden, severe headache
• Headache with nausea or vomiting
• Headache with confusion or vision problems
• Recurring headaches
• Headaches with shortness of breath

Diagnosing Headaches

Headaches can be caused by a variety of medical conditions such as neck, eye, jaw, or teeth disorders. When a headache has an underlying medical cause like this, it’s called a “secondary headache” because it’s related to another condition. For example, a headache caused by a sinus infection would be considered a secondary headache.

Other headaches are classified as “primary headaches” because the headache is the main medical concern. However, primary headaches can sometimes be related to contributing factors such as medications or dehydration.

If you have recurring headaches, a headache diary may help you identify certain triggers or patterns. When you see one of our neurologists, we’ll ask you for information about your headaches and we’ll perform a physical exam. Tests used to diagnose a headache may include:

• Blood tests to check for underlying conditions
• MRI
• CT scan