Almost everyone gets headaches. Most are nothing more than an inconvenience — dehydration, screen time, a bad night's sleep, stress. But a small number of headaches are the body's way of signaling something urgent, and the tricky part is that in the first few minutes, they can feel similar. Here's how to actually tell them apart.
Tension headache: the everyday kind
This is the headache most people mean when they say "I have a headache." It's the most common type by far, and almost always harmless.
- Feels like: a dull, constant pressure or tightness — often described as a band around the head
- Location: both sides of the head, sometimes extending to the neck and shoulders
- Common triggers: stress, poor posture, eye strain, dehydration, skipped meals, poor sleep
- What helps: rest, hydration, asking a pharmacist about safe pain relief, addressing the trigger (a break from screens, a proper meal, better sleep)
Migraine: more than "just" pain
A migraine is a distinct neurological event, not simply a worse headache. It often comes with a cluster of other symptoms that set it apart clearly from tension headaches.
- Feels like: throbbing or pulsing pain, usually on one side of the head
- Comes with: nausea or vomiting, sensitivity to light and sound, and sometimes an "aura" beforehand — flashing lights, blind spots, or tingling
- Duration: can last anywhere from a few hours to several days
- What helps: a dark, quiet room, migraine-specific medication if prescribed, and identifying personal triggers (certain foods, hormonal changes, sleep disruption, stress)
Sinus headache: pressure with a cause
Often confused with a tension headache or migraine, a sinus headache comes with a distinct location and usually a clear underlying cause.
- Feels like: pressure or pain around the forehead, cheeks, and behind the eyes — often worse when bending forward
- Comes with: nasal congestion, thick nasal discharge, sometimes a mild fever, usually alongside or following a cold
- What helps: treating the underlying congestion — steam inhalation, saline rinses, warm fluids; if it doesn't improve, sinusitis may need a doctor's attention
Red flags: when a headache is a medical emergency
Get emergency care immediately — don't wait, don't self-medicate first — if a headache comes with any of these:
- "The worst headache of your life," especially if it comes on suddenly and peaks within seconds to minutes
- A headache with a stiff neck and fever — a possible sign of meningitis
- A headache following a head injury, even a seemingly minor one
- Sudden confusion, slurred speech, or weakness/numbness on one side of the body or face
- Vision loss or double vision that comes on suddenly
- A new, severe headache pattern in someone over 50 with no prior history of headaches
- A headache that wakes you from sleep and keeps getting worse, especially with vomiting
Outside of these red flags, if a headache is simply more frequent or more intense than what's normal for you, it's still worth a conversation with a doctor rather than relying on pain relief indefinitely. A quick check with QueroCura's symptom checker can help you figure out whether it's something to monitor at home or something to act on today.
Frequently asked questions
Occasional headaches are common, but daily or near-daily headaches aren't something to just live with — they're worth discussing with a doctor, since frequent headaches can sometimes be linked to medication overuse, sleep issues, or an underlying condition worth ruling out.
A migraine usually comes with more than just pain — nausea, sensitivity to light and sound, and sometimes visual disturbances (aura) beforehand. It's also typically one-sided and throbbing, versus the dull, band-like pressure of a tension headache.
Yes, immediately, if it's the worst headache of your life with sudden onset, comes with a stiff neck and fever, follows a head injury, or comes with confusion, slurred speech, or weakness on one side of the body. Those are signs a headache could be something more serious.