Many people experience headaches only on the right side of their head. Pain may be accompanied by other symptoms such as visual disturbance, fatigue, and nausea. Almost 50% of adults report headaches each year, making it one of the most common health problems.

If you also experience the sharp pain on the right side of your head that comes and goes, you should read this post. We have discussed the different types of headaches, their cause, and some tips to get relief. By reading this, you will know, and you could better understand what to do about it.

Types of headaches:

There are more than 300 types of headaches, of which about 90% have no known cause.

However, migraine or cluster headaches are the most likely causes of headaches on the right side of the head. Sharp pain in the right side of head is primarily due to migraines.

Migraine:

Migraine headaches are often associated with sensitivity to light and sound.

Genetics is thought to play a role in migraine headaches, a severe headache that causes throbbing headaches and shooting pain.

Symptoms:

Violent throbbing sensations and vibrations are often accompanied by:

• Blurred vision
• Nausea
• Sensitivity to sound
• Sensitivity to light
• Vomiting

Up to one-third of individuals with migraines have visual disorders or temporary loss of vision (called an aura) before the onset of pain. Symptoms can last up to 72 hours if not treated. The pain usually affects only one side, so the sharp pain on left side of head that comes and goes can also be due to migraines.

Treatment:

Early treatment is the key to reducing the duration and severity of symptoms. Treatment includes prescription drugs or OTC.

Prevention involves avoiding triggers and, in some cases, using prophylactic drugs.

Cluster headache:

Cluster headaches are rare but severe headaches that occur in a cyclical pattern. The pain is severe and is usually around one eye. Headache on right side of head and eye can be due to cluster headache. If you too are experiencing such kind of pain, you should consult a Neurologist in Karachi.

 It can also radiate to the neck and shoulders and other parts of the head and face.

People often experience headaches (bundles) regularly for weeks or months before the period of remission.

Symptoms:

Other symptoms of this headaches are:

• Facial sweat
• Light or rinsed skin
• Red or teary eyes
• Restlessness
• Runny nose or stuffy nose
• Swelling around the affected eyes

Men are more likely to experience headaches than women. The exact cause is unknown, but smoking, alcohol use, and a family history of headaches can increase the risk.

Treatment:

There is no cure for the condition but can relieve the symptoms to some extent by inhaling 100% oxygen.

Tension headache:

These are the most common type of headache that occurs in 75% of people.

It mostly affects both sides of the head, but some people have symptoms on only one side. Sharp pain on top of head is due to tension headache.

Symptoms:

• Dull pain
• Scalp sensitivity
• Tender or stiff neck and shoulders muscles
• Tension or pressure on the forehead, sides, or occipital region
• Symptoms usually last minutes to hours and are mild to moderate.

Treatment:

Occasional tension headaches can be treated with over-the-counter painkillers or home remedies. People with frequent tension headaches may need to change their lifestyle, identify triggers, and avoid or use prescription medications.

Ice pick headache:

These are sudden, severe, and painful headaches. They are often described as puncture wounds, or a series of stitches, due to an ice pick. They do not warn before attacking and can be debilitating and excruciating. They are also short, usually less than a minute. If you have sudden sharp pain in head that goes away quickly, you could have an ice pick headache. 

Symptoms:

• Sudden throbbing headache, usually 5-10 seconds
• Pain that can be classified as moderate to severe pain
• The stab can appear more than once like a wave over several hours.
• Stabbing can occur up to 50 times a day
• Stabs appears without warning
• Pain is usually felt on the top, front, or sides of the head.
• Stabs can occur one at a time on several parts of the head.

Treatment:

For the treatment, you can use drugs like indomethacin and melatonin.

If you are experiencing any of the above signs, it could be a warning of some severe problem. It would be best for you to consult one of the best Neurologists in Karachi.

Headache due to Occipital Neuralgia:

If you are having pain on right side of head above ear, it could be due to Occipital Neuralgia. It is a condition in which the occipital nerve, which is the nerve that passes through the scalp, is damaged or inflamed. It causes headaches that feel like stinging, stinging, or bumpy pain in the upper neck, back of the head, or behind the ears.

Symptoms:

Symptoms include persistent throbbing, burning, and intermittent or shooting pain. The pain begins in the lower part of the head and reaches the scalp on one or both sides of the head.

People also experience pain on left side of head above ear.

Treatment:

Massage therapy, heat pads can be used as a treatment. Besides, you can use medication like anti-inflammatory and muscle relaxants.

Is headache on right side of head covid sign?

Several symptoms of COVID-19 have been identified. One of these symptoms is a headache. But headache, in this case, is bilateral, meaning on both sides of the head. So a headache on only the right side is not a covid sign. In the above, we have discussed the most common types of headaches to give you every information you should know. If you are often experiencing sharp pain on right side of head that comes and goes, you should consult a specialist. You can visit Marham. pk to book an appointment with one of the best Neurologists in Karachi