There’s no one-size-fits-all way to know why you have a headache at a certain spot on your head. Different people may experience headaches differently, including where they strike and how intense the pain is. Pain on the top of your head could mean several things, and you’ll want to watch for other symptoms that may suggest what’s going on and the reason for it.
Tension Headaches
If your headache feels like it’s at the top of your head, it may be a tension headache. Sometimes, tension headaches are called “hatband” headaches because they can cause pain in your forehead, temples, and the back of your head, similar to the sensation of wearing a tight hat. And the pain may feel like pressure.
Tension headaches are the most common type of headache. It’s not always clear what causes them, but it may be that tension builds in your muscles when you hunch over your computer for hours or pin your phone to your ear with your shoulder. Stress or anxiety may also cause tension to build in the muscles in your neck, face, jaw, and scalp.
A hot shower, warming pad, and over-the-counter (OTC) meds can help. Regular exercise along with meditation and other relaxation practices might stop tension headaches before they start.
Migraine
A throbbing pain starts small and builds, sometimes to very high intensity. It’s usually on one side of the head, but it may also include some or all of the top of your head. Everyday movements such as household chores and walking can make it worse.
During a migraine, you may be more sensitive to light, noise, and smells, and you could get nauseous enough to vomit. Another common sign is an “aura” that looks like flashing lights or waves that you see just before or during a migraine.
It’s often hard to tell what causes a migraine, but doctors do know of some triggers — hormone changes, stress, anxiety, sleep problems, strong odors, tobacco, and missed meals. Trigger foods include coffee, wine, chocolate, aged cheeses, pickled goods, and processed meats. Talk to your doctor about lifestyle changes that can help lessen or prevent migraine.
When you have a migraine, resting in a quiet, dark room can help bring relief. It also might be good to drink some caffeine and get plenty of fluids, especially if you’re vomiting. Your doctor might suggest or prescribe medication that will work best for you.
Cluster Headaches
The “cluster” refers to the way these types of headaches repeat, almost daily, sometimes for weeks at a time.
These headaches tend to be very painful, on one side of the head behind the eye, and happen at the same time of the day. Though the pain doesn’t usually start on the top of the head, it could radiate there as the headache gets worse.
You may have a migraine-like aura and nausea just before each one. Pain usually peaks 5-10 minutes after it starts and can last up to three hours. Your nose and eyes may get red and swollen on the headache side, and you may be anxious and sensitive to light, sounds, or smells.
Their cause usually isn’t clear, but sleep problems, alcohol, and smoking set off these headaches in some people. You may also be more likely to have cluster headaches if you’ve had a head injury before. Talk to your doctor about treatment.
Hypnic Headaches
Sometimes, this type of headache is called the “alarm clock” headache, because it happens while you’re sleeping and wakes you up, usually at the same time each night.
The pain from a hypnic headache may feel dull, but it can range from mild to severe. And you can usually feel it on both sides of your head. A hypnic headache can last 15 minutes to four hours.
Hypnic headaches are rare, and they usually affect people between 40-80 years old. If you think you have hypnic headaches, you should see a doctor to make sure the headaches aren’t caused by another medical issue.
Treatment for hypnic headaches may include taking caffeine at bedtime, melatonin, or flunarizine.
Brain Freeze
When you eat or drink something cold, such as ice cream or a frozen drink, you might get a brain freeze, also called an ice cream headache or a cold stimulus headache. It can be an intense pain at the front of your head, but it usually goes away quickly — within a few seconds to two minutes.
Sometimes, you can get a brain freeze from breathing in freezing air, too. A brain freeze happens when blood vessels around your palate react to the cold by tightening up and then expanding quickly, which causes pain. Although the blood vessels are around your palate, you feel the pain higher up in your head.
Usually, a brain freeze doesn’t last long. But if you find yourself with a headache from brain freeze, it might help to drink a liquid that’s warm or at room temperature, or to press your tongue against the roof of your mouth. To prevent a brain freeze, you can try to eat or drink very cold food and drink slowly so that the cold in your mouth or throat isn’t so sudden.
Sleep Issues
Sometimes, sleep issues such as sleep deprivation can cause headaches at the top of your head. Here are some sleep issues that can cause headaches:
- Poor sleep quality can trigger tension headaches and migraines.
- Sleep apnea can cause poor sleep, and you may wake up with a headache.
- Lack of sleep, erratic sleep, or disordered sleep can trigger cluster headaches in some people.
While sleep issues can trigger headaches, headaches may also lead to sleep problems. So sometimes, headaches are linked to sleep issues, but it’s not clear which is the cause and which is the effect. This may be because the areas of your brain that affect headaches also affect your sleep and mood.
The body’s circadian rhythm, or 24-hour internal clock, is also linked to cluster headaches and migraines.
Can stress cause top-of-head headaches?
Stress can cause headaches, particularly tension headaches and migraines. If you’re stressed, your body may respond by tensing or stiffening your muscles, which can make headaches worse.
But relaxation techniques, such as meditation and deep breathing exercises, may help reduce stress — as well as ease your headache.
Secondary Headaches
Tension, migraine, cluster, and hypnic headaches are considered primary headaches, meaning the headache is the main problem, and it’s not a symptom of another underlying condition.
But “secondary” means that some other problem caused your headache. There are many potential causes, including:
- Dehydration
- Fever
- High blood pressure
- Sinus infection or other infection
- Meningitis
- Aneurysm
- Brain tumor
- Head injury
- Mental or emotional problems
Secondary headaches are less common than primary headaches. They often come on suddenly and are extremely painful.
Most headaches aren’t due to an emergency condition, such as a bulging blood vessel in the brain (aneurysm). But call 911 if you get a sudden headache with no obvious cause that’s extremely intense. It might be a sign the aneurysm is leaking or has burst (called a hemorrhagic stroke).
If you think an intense headache might be a stroke, remember FAST: Face drooping, arm weakness, speech problems? Time to call 911.
Brain tumors are another serious condition, and headaches are the most common symptom of brain tumors. When headaches are caused by brain tumors, they often are worse in the morning.
If your headaches keep coming back or they worry you, you should see a doctor. And you should get emergency care if you:
- Have a stiff neck along with your severe headache
- Have had a head injury
- Pass out
- Have blurry vision
- Feel dizzy, confused, or nauseated
Headache on Top Right Side of Head Causes
Sometimes, a headache at the top of your head is only on one side, either the right or the left. Cluster headaches typically affect one side of your head. Sometimes, migraines also cause pain on one side. Pain from a migraine may start around your eye and temple on the right side and then spread to the back of your head.
Causes of a headache on the top right side of your head may include:
- Sleep problems
- Stress
- A sinus infection in the sinus that is on the upper right side of your head
- A head injury
Usually, whether you have pain on the right or left side doesn’t tell you much about your headache. But one study of people with migraines found that migraine on the right side was linked to poorer performance on cognitive tests, higher diastolic blood pressure, and changes in skin temperature.
Headache on Top Left Side of Head Causes
With cluster headaches and migraines, the pain may be on the left side. Cluster headaches happen on either the left or right side, rather than both sides.
Many causes may be to blame for a headache on the top left side of your head, including a sinus infection in a sinus that’s on the left side of your head. Two of your sinuses are behind your forehead, one above each eye, and the one on the left side could be infected, causing pain on the left.
Other causes of a headache on the top left side of your head may include:
- Sleep problems
- Stress
- A blow to the left side of your head
- Anxiety
A headache on the left side usually isn’t any different from a headache on the right. However, a study found that migraines on the left side of the head were associated with worse quality of life, anxiety, bipolar disorder, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), while right-side migraines were not linked to these conditions. What this means isn’t completely clear, but it suggests that migraines that cause pain on the left side might be different from ones that cause pain on the right.
When to See Your Doctor About Headache on Top of Head
Often, taking an OTC pain reliever such as aspirin, ibuprofen, or acetaminophen will get rid of a headache. Home remedies, such as a hot or cold compress and massage, may also help with a headache on the top of your head.
But if your headaches get worse, happen more often, or interfere with your daily activities, you should see your doctor.
Because headaches can be a sign of a more serious medical condition, you should get immediate medical attention if:
- The headache is sudden and severe
- You get a headache after a head injury or fall
- You feel confused or have trouble speaking or understanding speech
- Along with your headache, you have a seizure, high fever, stiff neck, or rash
- You have numbness or weakness on one side of your body
- You have trouble seeing or walking
If you have these symptoms along with your headache, you should call 911 or go to the emergency room.
Takeaways
A headache on the top of your head doesn’t automatically mean you have a certain type of headache. Different types of headaches can cause pain in different areas of your head. Tension headaches are the most common type of headache, and they can cause pain on the top of your head. Usually, OTC meds can help get rid of a headache, but if your headache is sudden and severe, or you have other symptoms along with it, you should check with your doctor.
Headache on Top of Head FAQs
What does a headache on top of your head mean?
Different types of headaches can cause pain in different parts of your head. If you have pain at the top of your head, it may be a tension headache, migraine, hypnic headache, or cluster headache.
What does a dehydration headache feel like?
A dehydration headache can be mild or severe, and the pain can be either all over your head or just in one area. The type of pain can also vary — it can be either constant or throbbing.
What can you take for a headache on the top of your head?
For a headache on the top of your head, OTC pain relievers such as aspirin, ibuprofen, and acetaminophen may help. If you have migraines, your doctor may prescribe other medications.
What does a pre-stroke headache feel like?
If your headache is a sign of a stroke, it typically comes on suddenly and is extremely painful. It usually hurts all over your head, and you may have other symptoms along with it, including slurred speech and numbness on one side of your body.
Are cluster headaches caused by stress?
Stress is one of the things that can cause cluster headaches.
How do I stop my migraine?
If you have a migraine, you can try using a hot or cold compress, drinking small amounts of caffeine, and relaxing in a dark, quiet room.
