A Scots A&E doctor has issued a warning about six headache symptoms that should never be ignored. Dr Barrie Stevenson, who regularly shares medical advice on TikTok, has spoken about certain headache presentations he sees that immediately make him nervous as it could be a sign of something more serious.
Doctor's warning on headache symptoms
The medical professional, who now works as an Emergency Medicine specialist doctor in London, took to the social media app to share the situations that always make him concerned about patients who are presenting at hospital with a headache. Dr Stevenson, who is originally from the small Scottish village of Cullen in Moray, is also the author of multiple medical thriller novels.
Sharing his advice, he captioned the video: "Most headaches are just headaches. But after enough years in A&E, you learn to listen for the sentences that change everything. There are six real presentations I've seen. Six times, the headache wasn't just a headache. I'm not posting this to frighten anyone. I'm posting it because the patients who did best were the ones that came in and said 'something about this feels different.'"
The six worrying symptoms
Explaining the six worrying symptoms and the different medical issues they may be a sign of, he starts by saying that a patient with a headache who is struggling to keep a grasp on objects and slurring their words could actually be experiencing a haemorrhagic stroke. A haemorrhagic stroke is when you have bleeding in or around the brain which can damage brain cells and consequently affects how the body works.
Another worrying presentation is someone with a worsening headache that's lasted weeks and is having seizures. Dr Stevenson warns this could be a sign of a brain tumour. A brain tumour is a growth of cells in the brain that multiplies in an abnormal, uncontrollable way. Brain tumours are graded according to how fast they grow and how likely they are to grow back after treatment.
Dr Stevenson warns it's also a concern if a headache feels like "it came from nowhere like being hit with a baseball bat". The medical expert cautions this could be a sign of a subarachnoid haemorrhage. This is described on the NHS as a rare type of stroke that causes bleeding on the brain. It's a life-threatening emergency that needs treatment in hospital as soon as possible.
Other signs to watch for
If a headache makes it sore to brush your hair or your jaw aches when you chew, Dr Stevenson says it could be a sign of a condition called giant cell arteritis. Giant cell arteritis is irritation and inflammation of the lining of the arteries. It usually affects the arteries in the head, mainly those in the temples and can cause headaches, scalp soreness, jaw pain with chewing, and vision issues. If not treated, giant cell arteritis can lead to blindness.
Meanwhile, if a sore head is accompanied by shivering, light sensitivity or a sore neck that hurts to bend, Dr Stevenson said he will immediately check meningitis. Meningitis is an infection of the protective layers that cover the brain and spinal cord. It can be very serious and even life-threatening if not treated quickly.
Dr Stevenson's sixth warning sign for those who suffer with headaches is sore eyes and seeing halos around every light. This can also be accompanied with frequent vomiting. He advises his followers that this may actually be acute angle-closure glaucoma rather than your typical headache. Acute angle closure glaucoma is a serious medical emergency caused by a sudden block of fluid drainage in the eye, leading to severe eye pain, blurry vision, and a red eye. It is usually accompanied by a strong headache.
Urgent medical help needed
While it's important to remember headaches are common and most are not dangerous, it's worth noting that any of the above symptoms are not considered 'normal' and require urgent medical assistance. Dr Stevenson concluded: "Save this. You might need it someday. A headache that is sudden, unusually severe or different should never be ignored. Seek urgent medical help."
