What You Need to Know About Recurring Headaches After COVID
If you have been infected with COVID in the past few months, you may still have symptoms. For a subset of people, the infection can turn into a protracted COVID , which can include a wide range of respiratory, neurological, digestive, and musculoskeletal problems that can last weeks, months, or years. Headaches have become one of the most common symptoms following COVID infection.
“Headache associated with COVID-19 can take many forms, from a mild and dull headache to the sharpest and worst headache of a lifetime,” says Joy Mitra, an expert neurologist at Houston Methodist Hospital. “The duration of their retention also varies from patient to patient.”
COVID infection often exacerbates existing headaches
If you’ve already been prone to headaches, there’s a good chance that a COVID infection will make them worse. “People who have already had migraines or who suffer from varying levels of stress in their daily lives are reported to represent the worst group of COVID survivors with prolonged headache episodes, even up to six months after a negative test result,” says Mitra. . For people with chronic health issues such as high blood pressure, this can also predispose to post-COVID headaches.
How to deal with a headache
As Mitra advises, if you’re experiencing post-infection headaches, general treatment strategies include eating healthy, getting enough sleep, staying hydrated, and avoiding stress to reduce the intensity or frequency of your headaches. For particularly severe headaches, pain management will likely involve medication, which is important to be careful with, as overuse can lead to rebound headaches. Generally speaking, it is recommended that you take your headache medication no more than twice a week. If you have more frequent headaches, it’s especially important to see a doctor to find an effective and long-term way to manage your pain.
When to See a Doctor for a Headache
If your headaches are especially painful or frequent, you should see your doctor. You should also see a doctor about headaches if you have any other conditions that can make them worse, such as high blood pressure, stress disorders, insomnia, or if you’re experiencing symptoms of brain fog . As Mitra advises, it’s helpful to be as specific as possible about the frequency, duration, and location of your headaches, as this will help your doctor make a proper assessment.