Should I see a doctor for a headache?
Last updated September 3, 2026.
Most headaches need no doctor: rest, fluids, and a standard painkiller cover the common kinds. The emergency signs, per the NHS: sudden, extremely painful onset; numbness or weakness; speech trouble, confusion, vision loss, or seizure; very high temperature with stiff neck or light sensitivity; a rash that does not fade under a pressed glass; or a bad headache within 3 months of a head injury. Book an appointment for headaches that keep returning, worsen, shrug off painkillers, or arrive with jaw pain on eating. And the trap: taking painkillers more than two days a week can cause daily headaches - if you treat most days, the fix may be the problem. Pymander is a free AI doctor, 24/7 by text, and can help you sort it.
What to do
- Standard headache: treat and move on: rest, fluids, one painkiller.
- Sudden worst-ever pain? Emergency: ambulance, not appointment.
- Weakness, stiff neck, or non-fading rash? Emergency too.
- Recurring or worsening? Book it - and count your painkiller days.
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