Headache

Headache

The vast majority of people experience headaches from time to time. Stress, little sleep, little food or too much alcohol can trigger the headache, and most often it helps to give the body rest and calmness. There are several different types of headache, and below you can read about some of them.

Self-treatment of headaches

If you rarely suffer from headaches, there is a number of good advice and medicines that can help with the problems when they occur.

There are over-the-counter pain relievers that can be used for self-treatment of headaches. It is important to find the cause of the headache, and reduce or eliminate it if possible. If you have had little sleep for a while and have a headache, it is wise to prioritize sleep over other activities. Pregnant women may experience headaches more frequently than they are used to. This can have several causes, including changes in hormone levels in the body and increased muscle tension. If you are pregnant, paracetamol, in as low doses as possible, is the first choice for pain.

When should you contact a doctor for a headache?

• In rare cases, another disease may be the cause of the headache, in which case you should see a doctor.

• In case of a severe headache that you have not experienced before or do not know the cause of

• If you have persistent or constantly recurring headaches

• If you suspect a migraine

• If you have tension headaches that do not go away

• If you suspect a drug-induced headache

Sources: Norwegian electronic medical handbook, Norwegian drug handbook for healthcare personnel and Norwegian Health Information Technology for healthcare personnel.