Question:

What is the most likely cause of occasional severe headaches?

Answer:

Stress and muscle tension account for the majority of headaches, although your diet can also contribute to headaches. Food such as caffeine , chocolate, cheeses, and nuts can cause headaches in some people. See headache and tension headache .

In some cases a severe headache may be a migraine. Symptoms suggestive of migraine include, one-sided headache, throbbing quality, sensitivity to light or sound, nausea or vomiting. Sometimes these are preceded by an aura which may include sensory or visual changes. Some headaches may be a combination of tension and migraine headaches.

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Headache

Review Date: 10/17/2005
Reviewed By: Kevin Sheth, M.D., Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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