
40% of people experience severe headaches annually. Headache is usually a benign symptom and only occasionally a manifestation of a serious illness such as a brain tumour. At least 15% of the female population and 8% of the male population suffer from migraine-type headache. The most important issue to resolve, when managing headache, is to make the distinction between benign and more ominous cases. Headache is the most common pain syndrome which presents to General Practitioners.
The diagnosis of headache is generally made by a qualified clinician using: