What Is a COVID-19 Headache?

Headaches, among other symptoms, are common in COVID infections. They're sometimes the first and only symptom of the illness and can last during and after you're sick.

COVID headaches may happen slowly and feel similar to other headaches. Here's what you need to know about how these headaches feel, what causes them, and how to get rid of a COVID headache.

How Does a COVID Headache Feel?

COVID-related headaches can feel like a migraine, tension headache, or both. People with COVID have experienced headaches that:

• Are associated with light sensitivities, sound sensitivities, nausea, vomiting, or a combination
• Are moderately to severely painful
• Can be felt on both sides of the head
• Develop gradually
• Present with tightness or pressure

Additionally, other factors can aggravate COVID headaches. Some people reported that coughing, physical activity, and eye or head movement worsened headache pain.

How Long Does a COVID Headache Last?

The duration of a COVID headache varies individually. Some people may experience a headache the first day they become sick and can have headache pain from a few hours to several days.

Others may continue to have headaches beyond an active COVID infection as part of long COVID or post-COVID syndrome. Long COVID is when people experience long-lasting symptoms or develop new symptoms after having COVID but don't have an active infection.

What Causes a COVID Headache?

There are a few suggested potential causes of COVID headaches, including:

• Dehydration
• Hypoxemia, which refers to low blood oxygen levels
• Inflammation occurring throughout the body
• The inflammation process that occurs with having a stuffy nose
• Viral injury, where viruses affect cells within your nose
  

How Is COVID Headache Treated?

For headaches that occur due to COVID, treatments have commonly included nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and analgesic medications, or pain relievers, like acetaminophen. Staying hydrated is another remedy that can be helpful. Some researchers suggested the importance of using these treatments for a few days as a method of headache prevention.

When To Contact a Healthcare Provider

You may not need to see a healthcare provider for all headaches. However, consult a provider for:

• First-time headaches
• Headache after a head injury
• Headache behavior or pattern changes
• Headaches that occur twice or more weekly
• New headaches in individuals with cancer history or HIV/AIDS
• Persistent headaches without any previous headache history
• Worsening headaches over a few days' time

When To Seek Emergency Medical Attention

Seek emergency care for any of the COVID warning signs, such as new confusion, problems breathing, and bluish, gray, or pale skin, lips, or nail beds. You should also seek immediate medical attention if you experience the following:

• Balance or memory loss, confusion, problems with arm or leg movements, or slurred speech with a headache
• Headaches that are the worst you ever experienced
• Headaches with fever, nausea, stiff neck, or vomiting
• Severe headaches with accompanying eye pain and redness in one eye
  
• Sudden headaches that feel explosive
• Vision changes or problems, pain with chewing, or weight loss with headaches

A Quick Review

COVID headaches are a common symptom of the illness and can last a few hours or days or well after a COVID infection. A few factors, like inflammation and dehydration, may be responsible for COVID headaches.

Generally, COVID headaches can be treated with medications and adequate hydration. Ultimately, see a healthcare provider if you have concerns about or changes with headaches—whether COVID-related or not—and for COVID warning signs.

The information in this story is accurate as of publication. However, as the situation surrounding COVID-19 continues to evolve, it's possible that some data have changed since publication. While Health is trying to keep our stories as up-to-date as possible, we also encourage readers to stay informed on news and recommendations for their own communities by using the CDC, WHO, and their local public health department as resources.