(HealthDayNews) -- Just about everyone has had a headache at some point in their lives. Most headaches are innocuous, but occasionally a throbbing forehead may be a warning sign that requires immediate medical attention.
According to the Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine, the following types of headache may signify something more serious is afoot:
- A headache worse than any you've ever had may indicate a ruptured aneurysm or subarachnoid hemorrhage in the head.
- A headache that is accompanied by weakness or numbness on one side of the body, visual loss or difficulty speaking could be a sign of a stroke.
- A headache that just keeps getting worse over a period of six months can be a sign of a brain tumor -- especially if it is worse in the morning and is accompanied by other neurological symptoms.
- A severe headache that comes on suddenly along with a fever and a stiff neck could indicate meningitis.
