Headaches are extremely common, and most are mild, short-lived and manageable with simple self-care. But when headaches become frequent, persistent, or stop responding to your usual treatments, they can affect your work, sleep, concentration and quality of life.
Ramsay Health Care offers specialist support for people living with constant headaches, recurring migraines, or unexplained head pain, helping you understand the cause and find effective, personalised treatment.
Types of headaches
There are many types of headaches, each with different patterns, triggers and treatments. Understanding the type you’re experiencing is the first step toward relief.
Tension-type headaches
This is the most common headache type. These cause a dull, tight, pressure-like pain across your forehead, temples or back of your head. Stress, poor posture, dehydration and eye strain are frequent triggers.
Migraine
Migraines cause throbbing or pulsating pain, often on one side of the head, and may include nausea, vomiting, light sensitivity or visual changes. Learn more about migraine treatment.
Cluster headaches
These severe, sharp headaches occur in clusters often daily for several weeks. Pain is usually around one eye and may be accompanied by tearing, redness or nasal congestion.
Medication-overuse headaches
Regular use of painkillers (especially codeine-based medicines) can lead to rebound headaches. These often feel like a constant, daily ache.
Secondary headaches / red-flag headaches
These headaches are caused by an underlying condition such as infection, high blood pressure, sinus disease or rarely something more serious. Recognising red flags is important, and we cover these below.
What causes headaches
Headaches can be triggered by many everyday factors.
Common causes include:
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Stress or tension
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Dehydration
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Poor sleep or irregular sleep patterns
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Skipping meals
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Eye strain or long screen time
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Caffeine withdrawal
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Medication overuse
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Hormonal changes
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Environmental triggers such as bright lights or strong smells
Sometimes headaches occur without a clear trigger, especially in people prone to migraines or chronic daily headaches.
How to get rid of a headache
Most headaches improve with simple self-care. These strategies can help:
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Hydration - drink water regularly throughout the day
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Rest - lie down in a quiet, dark room
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Over-the-counter pain relief - paracetamol or ibuprofen can help occasional headaches
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Cold or warm compresses - depending on your headache type
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Gentle stretching - especially for tension-type headaches
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Reducing triggers - taking breaks from screens, managing stress, and avoiding skipped meals
If your headache improves with these steps, it’s likely a primary headache such as tension-type or migraine. But when headaches don’t respond to self-help, become more frequent, or start affecting daily life, specialist assessment can help identify the cause and guide treatment.
When should I worry about a constant headache?
Most constant headaches are not caused by anything serious. However, certain symptoms known as “red flags” mean you should seek urgent medical attention.
Headache red flags include:
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A sudden, severe headache (“thunderclap headache”)
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Headache with fever, stiff neck, or rash
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Headache with vision changes, confusion or weakness
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Headache that worsens over weeks
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Headache after a head injury
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New headaches in people over 50
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Headache with vomiting that isn’t migraine-related
If you’re experiencing ongoing headaches without a clear cause, or they’re becoming more frequent, a specialist assessment can help you understand what’s happening.
Book a consultation to investigate ongoing headaches.
Headache treatment options
At Ramsay Health Care, headache treatment begins with a detailed assessment to understand your symptoms, triggers and medical history. Treatment is tailored to the type of headache you have and may include:
Medication review
Many people unknowingly worsen headaches through medication overuse. A consultant can review your current medicines and recommend safer, more effective options.
Trigger identification
Keeping a headache diary can help identify patterns, such as stress, sleep disruption, hormonal changes or dietary triggers, so you can reduce or avoid them.
Cranial nerve blocks
For certain headache types, targeted injections around the nerves of your head and neck can reduce pain and break the cycle of chronic headaches.
Referral for further investigation
If a secondary cause is suspected, your consultant may recommend blood tests, imaging or referral to neurology or ENT specialists.
Lifestyle and self-management support
Improving sleep, hydration, posture and stress management can significantly reduce your headache frequency.
Book a consultation with a pain specialist to explore personalised headache treatment.
Headache treatment at Ramsay Health Care
Ramsay Health Care provides consultant-led headache treatment with fast access to assessment, diagnosis and personalised care. Our pain specialists work closely with physiotherapists, neurologists and other experts to help you understand your headaches and find effective relief.
Why choose Ramsay:
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Experienced pain management specialists
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Shorter waiting times than the NHS
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Self-pay options with the Total Care package and 0% payment plans available
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Most major private medical insurance accepted
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Access to physiotherapy, pain interventions and specialist referrals
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Clear pricing and flexible booking
Explore:
Book an appointment or call us on 0808 223 0500
Headache FAQs
