What You Need to Know About a COVID Headache and How It Differs From Others

There’s no denying that attention to COVID infections has declined considerably since the height of the pandemic, but that doesn’t mean the virus has disappeared. In fact, plenty of people are still becoming infected and suffering from symptoms and side effects, including painful and persistent headaches.

At Advanced Medical Care, our neurology team provides patient-centered treatment for all types of headaches. Here, we describe why COVID headaches happen and how to distinguish a COVID headache from other types of headaches, like tension headaches or migraines.

How COVID causes headaches

Headaches are a common COVID symptom — in fact, for some people, headache is the only symptom they experience. But even though headaches are common, researchers still aren’t sure exactly why COVID causes headaches and why those headaches can last so long — sometimes for months after the initial infection clears up.

Research so far indicates that the virus might irritate the trigeminal nerve, a major facial nerve that transmits pain signals from your face and head to your brain. Interestingly, the trigeminal nerve can also have an effect on taste and smell, and data show people who lose those senses as a result of COVID infection are also more likely to suffer from COVID headaches.

As with most infections, COVID triggers an inflammatory response that’s driven by your body’s immune response to infection. Inflammation causes swelling that can cause pressure on the trigeminal nerve or other tissues, contributing to headaches. The inflammatory response also releases chemicals that can contribute to headaches. 

COVID frequently affects the respiratory system, making it more difficult for oxygen to enter your bloodstream. This decline in oxygen-rich blood may be another factor contributing to COVID-related headaches. The infection’s impact on the nervous system may also play a role.

Identifying a COVID headache

Headaches can happen for many reasons, and understanding the root cause is important for finding a therapy that provides effective relief. COVID headaches do exhibit some characteristics that can help you and your doctor differentiate your symptoms from other types of headaches.

Accompanying symptoms

COVID headaches are usually, but not always, accompanied by other symptoms. Decreased sense of taste and smell, sore throat, cough, fever, and body aches are common COVID symptoms that often go hand-in-hand with headaches. If you have a headache along with any of these symptoms, it’s a good indication that you might have a viral infection like COVID or the flu.

Location of the discomfort

While headaches associated with colds, flu, and sinus infections are often relegated to the facial area — specifically, the areas behind your sinuses — COVID headaches are more commonly felt on the sides of the head, sometimes wrapping around to the front. In addition to pain, COVID headaches can cause feelings of pressure or tightness around your head. 

Duration

COVID headaches can be long-lasting — in fact, they can persist for weeks or months after the acute phase of the illness has ended. Headaches can be present every day or can ebb and flow, fluctuating in frequency and intensity.

Comorbidities

Comorbidities refer to other underlying medical problems that occur alongside your headaches. Researchers have found COVID headaches occur more frequently among people with high blood pressure, diabetes, and heart disease. Knowing your medical history is another factor that can help differentiate a COVID headache from another type of headache.

Find relief for chronic headaches

Headaches can take a huge toll on your health and your quality of life. To learn what’s causing your headache and how we can help you find relief, request an appointment online or over the phone with the experienced neurology team at Advanced Medical Care in Forest Hills, Queens, and Brighton Beach, Brooklyn, New York.