Full Question:

ive been havin a sharp pain on the left side of my head nd then its a knot that came out of no where nd my hair been fallin out would you happen to know the cause? jasmine.

Back of my head on the right side area has been hurting and I also have sharp pain on my right side of my neck. I'm not sure what the cause of this. Christy.

I began having a sharp pain in my right temple on the 10th and it comes and goes. I'm really scared because this is the 1st time it ever happened. I usually have headaches but nothin like this. Can you give me some choices of what it can be? Cierra.

I get headaches every night for the past 2 months. They are now getting worse. Some nights i can take the pain but other i cant handle it. Misty.

I get headaches at least 5 times a week. They hurt so bad. But I don't have insurance and can't afford a doctor. What are these headaches. What can I do for them? Eva.

Full Answer:

Dear Jasmine, Christy, Cierra, Misty, and Eva;

You all ask essentially the same question, and the answer is essentially the same. Your headaches and pains could be caused by any number of things. They could be a headache disorder or something else entirely.

We absolutely understand that the economy today is in horrible shape and places an unprecedented burden on people. Both of us have had times in our lives when we had no insurance and jobs that paid very little, and choices had to be made as to which bills to pay, how to see a doctor, and other difficult financial decisions.

Unfortunately, the only answer we can safely give you is that you need to see a doctor who can discuss your medical history and your family medical history with you, review your symptoms, and conduct an exam in person. That's the only safe way to determine what's causing your pain and other symptoms and what the appropriate treatment may be. It's not that we don't want to answer your questions and help - we do - but nobody can safely diagnose via the Internet.

One thing you can do is check out some of our articles about different types of Migraines and headaches to give yourself some background information to discuss with your doctors. You can find those articles in our Types of Migraines and Headaches section.

For those of you who need to see a doctor, but have no insurance and can't afford it, check to see if there's a free clinic in your area. You may be able to find this information by calling area hospitals, your county health department, or the county office of your state's Department of Health and Human Services. There are also federally funded HRSA health centers that should be considered. You can find more information about them in HRSA Health Centers Can Provide Basic Migraine Care.

It's important that unexplained headaches be investigated. Statistically, they're unlikely to be dangerous, but you can't be certain of that without seeing a doctor. We both hope you're able to get care soon and that things go well for you.