To go to urgent care because of a headache?

[QuestionableMouse]

This is the third day of it and it's making me anxious - I have previously seen my GP about headaches who said they were migraines and prescribed sumitriprin which didn't really do anything.

It's like a combination of toothache and pressure on the left side of my head. Paracetamol and ibuprofen help but it just won't go away. No other symptoms.

I have another GP appointment but it's not until the 15th, and my practice is closed today so no emergency appointments!

Is it preventing you from functioning and going about your daily business? Is it getting worse? You say over the counter painkillers are helping? Have you spoken to the pharmacist about anything else you could try. I wouldn’t be going to urgent care I don’t think but maybe try 111?

Have you got a dentist that you can get an urgent appointment with if it feels toothachey? I once had similar and was caused by a sinus infection but because the dentist could confidently see it on my xray, she was able to prescribe antibiotics

It's not toothache - it feels like toothache around my temple.

It is starting to stop me wanting to do things. Not getting worse but also not getting better. Pharmacist was useless last time, told me to keep taking otc painkillers and nothing else . I've never had a headache last for this long!

I wouldn’t bother with urgent care. They don’t have facilities at ours for anything useful above taking BP and possibly a blood test. When I went for chest pains I waited 5 hours after a reasonably quick triage appt only to be told ECG they did at triage showed nothing to worry about and if it happened again to go to A&E instead.

If you’re worried it’s a stroke/brain haemorrhage etc you’d be better off somewhere they can scan and get you seen by a specialist asap than at urgent care with the walking wounded.

There's a condition called temporal arteritis that causes pain around the temples and isn't a 'normal' headache:

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/temporal-arteritis/

I get headaches like these. It's jaw tension and nighttime teeth grinding that causes mine, so you need to relax your jaw down. Put your hands together in front of your chest and clasp your hands together. Drop your jaw, shake your hands vigorously forwards and backwards while saying "ah". It may take a few times to work, do it often throughout the day.

If your practice is closed today, call 111 and run through a triage with them. If it is something that requires you being seen today then they should have local treatment centre appointments staffed with nurses and/or GPs they can book you into. In the interim, go and see a local pharmacist and have a chat with them as there are stronger pain relief they can sell you if appropriate.

It's run out of a hospital and is next door to A&E. I have no stroke symptoms but at this point it doesn't feel like a normal headache either.

Pharmacist offered me co codamol which I can't take and nothing else. 111 will send me to the place I'm heading to anyway so I might as well just skip the phone call.

Do you know if you grind your teeth at night. My migraines were triggered by that - my dentist worked it out - so I was given a mouth guard. I didn’t wear it a few nights ago and am having a stressful time with my unwell father, so have had a 3-day headache which is on one side of my face, in my top teeth and nose and behind my eye. I am taking nurofen and paracetemol and hoping it lifts soon.

I used to work in a UTC and we saw people with headaches all the time. They can vary from the very benign to something that needs looking into.

For your own reassurance just go and see someone, it's what it's there for.

This is precisely what urgent care centres are for. I would go if I were you. If they think it's something sinister they will refer you on

On my way there now.

Do have a look at this which a pp has posted. I had similar symptoms to yours OP and it turned out to be this condition. I was sent to urgent care because there is a risk to one's sight if this condition is not treated urgently with steroids.

It sounds like a cluster headache, they are absolutely awful. Like someone trying to drill your skull from the inside.

If it is in your temple then go to urgent care and explain your concerns around temporal arteritis. Its not worth losing the sight of an eye. Better to rule it out.

Have you recently tried cutting out caffeine or sugar? I am prone to migraines but I always get lingering headaches that painkillers rarely touch if I decide to cut out sugar and/or caffeine. God forbid both at the same time.

I have heard that the rule of thumb for headaches is “the first or the worst.” If it’s the first time you’ve had a headache like this or it’s the worst you’ve ever had, you should seek medical attention. I hope you receive some relief soon.

Genuinely don't think it's that, thank god! My mum had it a few years ago so I know the symptoms.

I haven't changed anything and if anything I've reduced my stress lately so doubt it's that.

I just want it to stop now!

Is there a pattern to them? Like is it bad, really bad, omg awful, christ almighty my heads going to burst and I can't function even thinking hurts, omg awful, really bad, bad and it goes in cycles like that over the last few days?

It's just constant nagging pain with a few spikes (when the painkillers wear off).

Starting to wonder if it's viral, because all I want to do is go back to bed at the moment!

Been triaged, just waiting to be seen.

Are you sure it’s not a sinus infection? Sounds more like that than a migraine or regular headache

Can you access a walk in centre? Our local one is very good.

Currently sitting in a walk in centre!

No idea about a sinus infection, will hopefully find out asap.