A headache can be an occasional, minor discomfort or a symptom of an underlying illness. But headaches are very rarely an indication of serious disease. The more sinister types of headache may occur along with other symptoms or signs.

A person medical history and the frequency and severity of the headache is important in distinguishing an uncomfortable but safe headache from a more serious one. A doctors consultation is likely to include these questions:

• When did the headaches start?

• Was the onset sudden?

• Is it one headache that is present all the time or does it come in bursts? If so, how long does each burst last?

• When do the headaches occur and how often do they occur?

• Are they getting worse?

Headaches occur for many reasons. Receptors responsible for the sensation of pain lie in blood vessels at the base of the brain as well as in the meanings, the protective coverings of the brain.