Left side headache

Overview Cluster headaches, which occur in cyclical patterns or cluster periods, are one of the most painful types of headache. A cluster headache commonly awakens you in the middle of the night with intense pain in or around one eye on one side of your head. Bouts of frequent attacks, known as cluster periods, can last from weeks to months, usually followed by remission periods when the headaches stop. During remission, no headaches occur for months and sometimes even years. Cluster headache Cluster headaches usually occur in cyclical patterns called cluster periods . Possible symptoms include severe pain in or around one eye or on one side of your head. There may be tearing, nasal stuffiness and a runny nostril on the affected side of the head. A cluster headache strikes quickly, usually without warning, although you might first have migraine-like nausea and aura. Common signs and symptoms during a headache include: • Excruciating pain that is generally situated in, behind or around one eye, but may radiate to other areas of your face, head and neck • One-sided pain • Restlessness • Excessive tearing • Redness of your eye on the affected side • Stuffy or runny nose on the affected side • Forehead or facial sweating on the affected side • Pale skin (pallor) or flushing on your face • Swelling around your eye on the affected side • Drooping eyelid on the affected side People with cluster headache, unlike those with migraine, are likely to pace or sit and rock back and fort...

Share on Pinterest Mats Silvan/EyeEm/Getty Images Several kinds of headaches can cause pain on the left side, Generally, doctors classify headaches as “primary” or “secondary.” For a person with a primary headache, the pain is the main symptom. A secondary headache results from another health issue, such as: • a brain tumor • a stroke • an infection The headaches that result can occur in any location, including the left side. A migraine headache may throb and be worse on one side. The pain may begin around the eye or temple, then spread across the head. Some other symptoms of migraine include: • changes to vision • nausea and vomiting • dizziness • extreme sensitivity to sound, light, touch, or smell • numbness or a tingling sensation in the face or extremities One rare type of migraine, called a hemiplegic migraine, can also cause weakness in the limbs and face on one side of the body. A migraine episode typically lasts Experts do not understand the exact causes, but genetic factors and environmental triggers appear to play a role. Common triggers include: • • hormonal changes, present in 65% of cases • certain foods, such as alcohol, cheese, and chocolate • sleeping too much or too little • bright lights or lights that flicker • odors, such as perfumes A cluster headache About Common features include: • pain behind one eye, one temple, or one side of the forehead • pain that starts at night, usually • pain that peaks after 5–10 minutes • severe pain that lasts 30–60 minu...

Pain from a headache usually subsides within a few hours and isn’t cause for worry. But intense pain on either side of the head or pain that doesn’t go away could signify something more serious. There are a variety of reasons that you might have pain or pressure only on the left side of your head. Keep reading to learn about the possible causes and when to call your doctor. There are many different Tension Feels like: A band tightening around your head, squeezing your face and scalp. You can feel the pressure along both sides and the back of your head. Your shoulders and neck might also be sore. Migraine Feels like: An intense, throbbing pain, often one side of the head. The pain is often accompanied by symptoms like nausea, vomiting, and sound and light sensitivity. Migraine can also come Cluster Feels like: Intense pain on one side of your head. The eye on the affected side might be red and watery. Other symptoms include a stuffed or runny nose, sweating, and flushing of the face. Sinus Feels like: Intense pressure and pain in the sinus cavities, usually on both sides of the head but possibly isolated to one. Could also lead to pain in the ear, eye, or jaw. Symptoms will also include a thick nasal discharge. Chronic Feels like: A dull throbbing pain, intense pain on one side of the head, or a vice-like squeezing, depending on which type of headaches you get. Left side headache causes range from lifestyle factors like skipping meals to overusing medications. Lifestyle fac...

• Diet: A common reason people develop headaches is skipping meals. With migraines, certain foods and drinks can trigger attacks. • Sleep: Getting insufficient rest and having an inconsistent sleep schedule are linked to migraines and headaches. • Stress: Stress and tension are • Environmental factors: Things like air pollution and odors, bright light or flashing lights, or even shifts in weather patterns can all bring on headaches. • Physical exertion: While regular exercise helps prevent headaches, overexerting yourself can be a means of bringing on headache attacks. • Illnesses: Sinus infection, or If only one sinus is affected, the pain will only be felt on that side of the head. In addition, headaches often accompany viral infections, such as • Allergies: Headaches on the left side of the head can also accompany • Concussion: • High blood pressure: Also known as High blood pressure can lead to stroke, heart disease, and other serious health issues. This is why it’s important to know what your blood pressure is. If it's high (above 140/90), talk to your healthcare provider about ways to get your numbers down. Less Common Health Conditions In addition to the common conditions listed above, some less common conditions can also cause headaches. Contact your healthcare provider if you are concerned that you are experiencing any of these conditions: • Glaucoma: A group of diseases affecting the optic nerve in the retina of the eye, • Infections: Although rare, bacterial and...

If recurring headaches on the left side of the head make it hard for you to sleep, work or live a normal life, seek medical help. The expert pain specialist There are two main types of What Causes Headache on the Left Side of Head? There might be several reasons for one side headache. It could result from lack of sleep, injury to the head, or sinus infection. Migraine It is a serious condition that Its symptoms include: • Agonizing pain on the left (or even right) side of the head • Nausea • Vomiting • Sensitivity to sound (phonophobia) • Sensitivity to light (photophobia) • Sensitivity to smell • Throbbing, stabbing, pounding, or pulsating pain that is often worsened by movement • Pain that lasts between six to 72 hours, or sometimes longer For most people, The expert doctors recommend pain-relieving medications like ibuprofen to treat migraine-related left side headaches. They also recommend Imitrex depending on your condition. The doctor will treat the headache by going through your medical history, tracking symptoms, and identifying possible triggers. You will have to work with the pain specialist to ensure tailored therapy for lasting relief of frequently occurring migraine pain or headaches that do not respond to treatment. Tension Headaches These are the most common type of headaches and affect a large population. Tension headaches can be caused by a variety of muscular problems, such as: • Neck injuries • Stress • Tight muscles in the • Poor posture • Sleeping in a...

Left Side vs. Right Side Headaches Headaches can sometimes only appear on one side of the head. This may happen on the left side or the right side of the head. It's poorly understood why the pain is sometimes isolated to one side of the head, but it's thought this may have something to do with vasculitis, which is inflammation of the blood vessels. Pain from a migraine can range from moderate to severe. More than 12% of adults in the United States are affected by migraine. Migraines are three times more common in women than in men and can run in families. Along with a throbbing pain on one side of the head, a migraine may be accompanied by other symptoms. Cluster headaches are more common in men, and they usually begin when a person is in their 30s or 40s. After the pattern of headaches stops, the headaches will go away. At this time, a period of remission begins. This is a time without any headache symptoms, which may last for months or even years before headaches return. If you are experiencing headaches, know that help is available. To start, you may consider making an appointment with a healthcare provider. A medical professional will be able to help identify what sort of headache you are experiencing, offer treatment options, and advise you on how to manage triggers.

Headaches on the left side of the head are commonly caused by direct blows to the head and other mild injuries, however they can also be caused by ear infections, tooth infections or migraines. This type of headache may be accompanied by other symptoms like local swelling, nausea or fever. Although headaches on the left side of the head are not always a concerning finding, left-sided headaches that appear with symptoms like weakness on one side of the body, vision loss or seizures may be a sign of a more serious condition, like a brain tumor or serious brain injury. In these cases, imaging tests, like a CT or MRI, may be ordered. If the left side headache occurs frequently, you should consult your doctor for further assessment to rule out any serious conditions and to start treatment as necessary. Causes of left-sided headaches The main causes of left side headaches include: 1. Wounds and injuries A headache on the left side of the head can occur due to wounds and injuries that occur in the area. Generally, other symptoms do not emerge, other than some pain and mild swelling, which resolves within a few days. What to do: This type of headache tends to improve within a few days. However, if the pain is intense or persists for more than a week, you should see a doctor, who may recommend analgesics like acetaminophen. If you also experience symptoms like vomiting, seizures or loss of consciousness immediately after the injury, you should proceed to an emergency room for a mor...

Headache is pain in any region of the head. Headaches may occur on one or both sides of the head, be isolated to a certain location, radiate across the head from one point, or have a viselike quality. A headache may appear as a sharp pain, a throbbing sensation or a dull ache. Headaches can develop gradually or suddenly, and may last from less than an hour to several days.

Cleveland Clinic is a non-profit academic medical center. Advertising on our site helps support our mission. We do not endorse non-Cleveland Clinic products or services. If you’re getting headaches only on one side of your headyou shouldn’t worry, but you should make an appointment with your doctor. One-sided According to headache specialist First, are the headaches continuous or do they come and go? And second, how long do the headaches last? Your answers help your doctor narrow down which category your headaches fall under. Categories of one-sided headache disorders When we talk about unilateral or one-sided headaches, there’s a distinct family of headache disorders trigeminal autonomic cephalgias (or TACs). There arefour distinct types ofheadaches: • • Hemicrania continua headache— This headache causes continuous • Paroxysmal hemicrania headache— This one is similar to hemicrania continua, but people will get shorter attacks that last less than 24 hours, and they will be pain-free in between. • SUNCT and SUNA— These stand for short-lasting unilateral neuralgiform headache with donjunctival injection and tearing,and short-lasting unilateral neuralgiform headache with cranial autonomic symptoms. Theyare short-lasting headaches that rarely affect people. They cause a few seconds of severe head pain on one side of the head with teary eyes and “If you have Share Facebook Twitter Linkedin Pinterest email Email