What Does A COVID-19 Headache Feel Like? Symptoms And More

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COVID-19

Symptoms of a COVID-19 Headache

Medically reviewed by Joseph Vinetz, MD — Written by Daniel Yetman — Updated on January 18, 2023

Symptoms
Treatment
Seeking medical help
Research
Headaches and COVID-19 vaccines
Other COVID-19 symptoms
Summary

A tension headache can be a common early symptom of COVID-19 infection with the Omicron variant. You may feel moderate to severe pain on both sides of the head.

COVID-19 and headaches

COVID-19 is a viral infection that more than 508 million people have developed through April 2022. It’s caused by a type of coronavirus called SARS-CoV-2. Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses that cause respiratory infections.

Headaches are one of the most common symptoms of COVID-19. Data released from the COVID Symptoms Study in December 2021 revealed that headaches were one of the five most reported symptoms of the Omicron variant, along with:

runny nose
fatigue
sneezing
sore throat

COVID-19 has been linked to tension headaches and migraine. When headaches appear, they often appear as one of the early symptoms.

In most cases, headaches go away within a couple of weeks, but some people experience long-haul headaches for weeks or months after infection.

Keep reading to learn more about the symptoms of COVID-19 headaches and what you can do about them.

Symptoms of a COVID-19 headache

Many studies have confirmed that headaches are one of the most common neurological symptoms of COVID-19. When they appear, they’re generally the first symptom.

However, there are no specific characteristics of COVID-19-caused headaches that are different from other types of headache.

It’s important to pay attention to whether the headache is more intense than you’re used to or whether it occurs at an unusual time and not because of typical stressors.

Most people who experience COVID-19 headaches develop tension headaches with the following characteristics:

moderate or severe intensity
pain on both sides of the head
pulsing or pressing feeling
pain around the forehead, sides of the head, or around the eyes
poor responses to over-the-counter (OTC) medications

About a quarter of people who experience COVID-19 headaches also have migraine episodes. These headaches can occur in people without a history of migraine.

Migraine may cause:

pain, usually on one side of the head
throbbing or pulsing pain
sensitivity to light, sound, smell, or touch
nausea and vomiting

People with COVID-19 who develop headaches also tend to develop:

fever
sore throat
loss of taste
loss of smell
muscle aches

In a 2022 study, researchers found that among 288 people with COVID-19, 22.2 percent developed neurological symptoms. Of these people, 69.1 percent developed headaches.

Headaches generally lasted for 7 days. They persisted for more than 30 days in 18 percent of people who developed headaches and more than 3 months in 10 percent.

In another 2022 study, researchers found that in a group of 905 people who developed COVID-19 headaches, half experienced headaches for longer than 2 weeks.

How to treat headaches caused by COVID-19

If you have a previous history of headaches, avoiding your known triggers may help reduce headache occurrence. Alcohol is a common trigger for migraine, so you may benefit from avoiding it.

A number of home remedies may help you manage your symptoms. These include:

OTC medications such as aspirin, ibuprofen (Advil), or acetaminophen (Tylenol)
rest
massaging your forehead and temples
applying a cold compress to your forehead

Corticosteroids may help treat prolonged headaches that don’t respond to other treatments.

When to see a doctor

In most people, COVID-19 causes mild or moderate symptoms that can be treated with rest and drinking fluids.

In rare cases, COVID-19 has been linked to thunderclap headaches. These headaches can cause severe pain that onsets within seconds.

Medical emergency
Thunderclap headaches may be a sign of bleeding in the brain that requires prompt medical attention. It’s critical to see medical attention immediately if you experience a severe headache that onsets quickly.
You should also seek emergency medical attention if you experience any of the emergency COVID-19 symptoms:
trouble breathing
pain or pressure in your chest
confusion
blue or gray lips, face, or nails
trouble staying away or waking
Note: People with dark skin may not be able to notice discoloration that indicates oxygen deprivation as easily as people with lighter skin.

If you have long-haul COVID-19 symptoms, it’s important to visit your doctor for an evaluation and to build a proper treatment plan.

What researchers know about the connection between headaches and COVID-19

Headaches are one of the most common symptoms of COVID-19. One review of studies found that among 6,635 people with COVID-19, 12.9 percent developed headaches or dizziness.

Another review found 10.9 percent of people with COVID-19 in a group of 7,559 reported headaches.

Women and younger people seem to be most prone to developing COVID-19 headaches.

It’s not clear exactly why COVID-19 causes headaches, but both indirect and direct factors may contribute.

It’s been suggested that the virus may invade your brain tissue, possibly through your olfactory system or by crossing the blood-brain barrier and promoting inflammation. It’s possible that dysfunction of your hypothalamus or trigeminal nerve may also contribute.

Some people with COVID-19 may develop a cytokine storm (overproduction of pro-inflammatory molecules by the immune system). This reaction may lead to neuroinflammation that causes headaches.

Other factors like low oxygen levels to the brain, dehydration, or not eating normally can also all potentially contribute to the development of headaches.

Can COVID-19 vaccines cause a headache?

Headaches are a common side effect of COVID-19 vaccines. They’re reported by about half of people who receive vaccines and usually onset within 72 hours. Headaches can occur by themselves or with other symptoms like:

joint pain
muscle aches
fever
fatigue
diarrhea

Headaches usually resolve within a few days.

Medical emergency
Headaches that onset later can be a sign of a serious complication called cerebral venous thrombosis. The National Health Service recommends seeking emergency medical attention if you experience any of the following symptoms between 4 days to 4 weeks after your vaccine:
severe headache not relieved with pain medication, or pain that gets worse
headache that feels worse when you lie down or bend over
headache that’s accompanied by blurred vision, sickness, speech problems, weakness, drowsiness, or seizures
rash that looks like a small bruise or bleeding under your skin
shortness of breath, chest pain, abdominal pain, or leg swelling

Other symptoms of COVID-19

According to the World Health Organization, the most common symptoms are:

fever
dry cough
fatigue

Less common symptoms include:

loss of smell
loss of taste
chills
dizziness
diarrhea
nausea
vomiting
rash
muscle or joint pain
headache
sore throat
pink eye
nasal congestion

Takeaway

Headaches are one of the most reported symptoms of COVID-19. Tension headaches are most common, but about a quarter of people who report headaches experience migraine episodes. Migraine sometimes develops in people with no previous history.

COVID-19 can usually be managed with rest, but it’s important to visit a doctor if you develop emergency symptoms like shortness of breath or chest pain. It’s also important to visit your doctor if you develop long-haul symptoms for a proper evaluation.

How we reviewed this article:

SourcesHistoryHealthline has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical journals and associations. We only use quality, credible sources to ensure content accuracy and integrity. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy.

Caronna E, et al. (2021). Headaches as a symptom of COVID-10: Narrative review of 1-year research.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/labs/pmc/articles/PMC8583579/
Catalan IP. (2021). Corticosteroids for COVID-19 symptoms and quality of life at 1 year from admissions.https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/jmv.27296
Coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccines side effects and safety. (2022).https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/coronavirus-vaccination/safety-and-side-effects/
Garcia-Azorin D, et al. (2021). Delayed headache after COVID-19 vaccination: A red flag for vaccine induced cerebral venous thrombosis.https://thejournalofheadacheandpain.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s10194-021-01324-5
Kacprzak A, et al. (2021). Headache attributed to SARS-CoV-2 infection or COVID-19 related headache—not migraine-like problem-original research.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/labs/pmc/articles/PMC8615688/
Kaur N, et al. (2020). Epidemiological and clinical characteristics of 6635 COVID-19 patients: A pooled analysis.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/labs/pmc/articles/PMC7343407/
Lacobucci G, et al. (2021). Covid-19: Runny nose, headache, and fatigue are commonest symptoms of omicron, early data show.https://www.bmj.com/content/bmj/375/bmj.n3103.full.pdf
Sampaio Rocha-Filho PA, et al. (2022). Headache, anosmia, ageusia and other neurological symptoms in COVID-19: a cross-sectional study.https://thejournalofheadacheandpain.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s10194-021-01367-8
Taslim Pinzon RT, et al. (2020). Neurologic characteristic in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19): A systemic review and meta-analysis.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/labs/pmc/articles/PMC7273516/
What are the symptoms of COVID-19? (n.d.).https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019
WHO coronavirus (COVID-19) dashboard. (2022).https://covid19.who.int/

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Medically reviewed by Joseph Vinetz, MD — Written by Daniel Yetman — Updated on January 18, 2023

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What Does A COVID-19 Headache Feel Like? Symptoms And More

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