5 Signs Your Headache Could Benefit from Urgent Care

Most of the time when you have a headache, you know exactly what to do. But when those remedies don’t work, what should you do? Here, we describe five things to watch for that could mean you need to go to urgent care for your headache.

Headaches are incredibly common and vary in frequency, intensity, and type. Primary headaches happen on their own, while secondary headaches are the result of some other condition, and in some instances, nerve damage triggers headaches.

At Pinnacle Health System, our outstanding providers offer urgent care services for situations — including headaches — that aren’t life-threatening. But sometimes it’s difficult to know when to seek urgent care for a headache. Here are five situations for which urgent care is a good idea.

1. You have headaches every day

Dealing with a headache daily disrupts your normal life, means you need to take more medication than you normally would, and could indicate you have an undiagnosed problem.

If you wake up each day with a headache, it could be a sign of sleep apnea, a condition that we can treat. You also might have allergies, or you may have developed migraine.

Finding and treating the underlying cause is an important step toward a life with less pain.

2. Regular treatments aren’t working

You may have a set of tools for dealing with headaches, such as medication, lying down in a dark room, or some combination of remedies. If your normal at-home treatments aren’t working, you may need to visit us at Pinnacle Health System.

3. You have a fever, stiff muscles, or other symptoms too

You may have a viral infection or some other illness that needs treatment if you have such symptoms as a fever or stiff muscles along with a severe headache. We can provide tests to rule out some of the more common illnesses that cause headaches.

4. Headache comes on very suddenly

A sudden and severe headache is called a thunderclap headache, and it is cause for concern. Sudden and severe, thunderclap headaches can be dangerous.

5. You’ve had a head injury

Maybe you fell down and felt fine, but a few hours later you have a severe headache. That’s a good reason to seek urgent care. If you’ve had a head injury and have a headache, get checked out. You could have a concussion.

Personalized care

Our primary care specialists can help you manage a chronic condition such as migraine in addition to providing urgent care services. Since headaches can vary so much and be caused by so many different things, it’s essential to work with a doctor who suggests treatments based on your symptoms, medical history, and lifestyle.

Whether you need urgent care for a headache or you’d like to discuss your headaches with a primary care specialist to learn more about what you can do, schedule an appointment in either our Pembroke Pines or Hollywood, Florida, office.