aetiology

Last reviewed 01/2018

Causes of acute headache include:

  • infection - generalized febrile illness
  • infection - localized to the head, for example sinusitis earache, or toothache
  • infection - of the central nervous system, for example meningitis or encephalitis
  • hunger or noise
  • trauma
  • hypertension
  • intracranial haemorrhage

Causes of recurrent headache include:

  • tension headache, or depression
  • migraine
  • raised intracranial pressure
  • epilepsy
  • refractive errors