Right-Sided Headache: Origin, significance, and swift alleviation strategies
Struggling with a constant ache on the right side of your noggin? You've come to the right place! Here's a lowdown on what could be causing that pesky pain and some smart ways to manage it.
Possible culprits behind that right-sided headache
A headache hounding you on the right side could be due to a handful of reasons. Some conditions predominantly affect a solitary side, while others tend to be more widespread but might produce localized pain occasionally.
Conditions favoring the right side
Your right-sided headache could be the work of:
- Temporal arteritis: An inflammation of the temporal artery — mostly on one side — tends to bring along fatigue, jaw pain, and tender temples[1].
- Trigeminal neuralgia: Characterized by intense facial and head pain, this condition usually targets a single side. The pain occurs due to a disruption to the trigeminal nerve at the brain's base[1].
- Sinus headaches: People with a deviated septum — a crooked septum in the nose — are prone to sinus headaches, which are more common on the affected side[1].
Non-discriminating conditions
Conditions like occupational neuralgia — which usually afflicts both sides but can cause one-sided symptoms — tend to be less choosy with their targets. Other causes of headaches could produce pain across the entire head or focus on a particular side[1].
- Allergies
- an aneurysm — a weak or bulging artery wall
- fatigue
- head injury
- infections, including sinus infections
- fluctuations in blood sugar levels due to missing meals
- dehydration
- muscle strains or knots in the neck
- tumors
Medication misuse
Headaches can be a side effect of prescription or over-the-counter medications or a result of overusing medication, including over-the-counter painkillers like acetaminophen (Tylenol), aspirin, and ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil)[1].
This type of headache, known as a medication overuse headache, is quite common around the globe[1]. This headache may manifest on both sides or just one, and the affected side need not always stay the same.
Types of headaches preferring the right side
The world is awash with diverse headache breeds. Some are primary headaches, where the headache is the primary symptom, while others are secondary, where the headache arises due to another underlying condition[1].
However, a migraine or a cluster headache are the most likely suspects behind a headache on one side of the head. Tension headaches may also cause pain on one side in some cases.
Migraines
Genetics play a role in migraines. Migraine headaches cause severe symptoms, including a pulsating or throbbing pain in the head. The pain may alternate between sides with each episode[1].
The severe pulsating sensations or throbbing are typically accompanied by:
- blurred vision
- nausea
- sensitivity to light
- sensitivity to sound
- vomiting
Cluster headaches
Cluster headaches are intense, short-lived headaches that occur in recurring cycles. The pain is usually concentrated around one eye. It can also radiate to other areas of the head, face, neck, and shoulders[1].
People experiencing cluster headaches tend to have frequent attacks for weeks or months, followed by a period of remission[1]. Other symptoms of cluster headaches include:
- facial sweating
- pale or flushed skin
- red or watery eyes
- restlessness
- stuffy or runny nose
- swelling around the affected eye
Tension headaches
Tension headaches — the most common headaches — typically affect both sides of the head, but they can sometimes concentrate on a single side.
Signs include:
- dull, aching pain
- scalp tenderness
- tender or tight shoulder and neck muscles
- tightness or pressure across the forehead, sides, or back of the head
When to seek medical help
While many headaches resolve themselves without any intervention, people who experience recurring headaches should consult their doctor to pinpoint the underlying cause[1].
Anyone experiencing the following symptoms in conjunction with a headache should seek immediate medical attention:
- vision changes
- confusion
- fever
- head injury
- increased pain during movement
- neck stiffness
- numbness
- personality or cognitive changes
- rash
- sleep disturbances
- slurred speech
- weakness
Frequent or severe one-sided headaches should raise a red flag, prompting an examination by a healthcare provider.
FAQs
Identifying the location of a headache can help doctors identify the type of headache and plan appropriate treatment. For instance, headache pain at the front or on one side of the head might suggest migraine or cluster headaches.
Some headaches may disappear on their own. Over-the-counter pain relief medications, lifestyle adjustments, and home remedies can help alleviate symptoms in milder cases.
However, if headaches are severe, persistent, or get progressively worse, or are accompanied by other symptoms like vision changes or slurred speech, consult a doctor.
Dehydration can cause or worsen headache symptoms and headache disorders. Staying adequately hydrated is the best approach to prevent dehydration headaches.
To treat dehydration headaches, doctors usually focus on addressing the dehydration, often by replenishing the patient's fluids[1].
Migraines tend to favor one side, but a person's migraines need not always affect the same side — they could hop from the left side to the right side.
A one-sided headache is not always indicative of a migraine. Other culprits include neurological issues, tension headaches, medication side effects, and allergies.
Sources:
[1] Mayo Clinic. (2021, February 11). One-sided headaches. Retrieved January 12, 2023, from https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/one-sided-headache/symptoms-causes/syc-20370209
[2] National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. (2017, August 22). Cluster Headache. Retrieved January 12, 2023, from https://www.ninds.nih.gov/Disorders/Patient-Caregiver-Education/Fact-Sheets/Cluster-Headache-Fact-Sheet
[3] National Headache Foundation. (2021, June 25). Headache Causes and Types. Retrieved January 12, 2023, from https://www.headaches.org/2015/03/headache-causes-and-types/
[4] National Headache Foundation. (2021, June 28). Tension Headaches. Retrieved January 12, 2023, from https://www.headaches.org/2015/03/tension-headaches/
[5] Brooks, R. H., et al. (2020). imaging in headache disorders. Lancet, 395(10236), 1813-1824. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(20)31220-8
- A persistent right-sided headache could be caused by temporal arteritis, trigeminal neuralgia, or sinus headaches, which favor the right side.
- Temporal arteritis is an inflammation of the temporal artery on one side, often accompanied by fatigue, jaw pain, and tender temples.
- Trigeminal neuralgia, characterized by intense facial and head pain, usually targets a single side due to a disruption to the trigeminal nerve at the brain's base.
- Sinus headaches, more common in people with a deviated septum, are more likely to affect the affected side.
- Some conditions like occupational neuralgia affect both sides but can cause one-sided symptoms.
- Other causes of headaches, such as allergies, aneurysms, infections, fluctuations in blood sugar levels, dehydration, muscle strains, tumors, and fatigue, can produce pain across the entire head or focus on a particular side.
- Overusing over-the-counter painkillers like acetaminophen, aspirin, and ibuprofen can lead to a medication overuse headache, manifesting on both sides or just one.
- Migraines are the most likely suspects behind a headache on one side of the head, causing severe symptoms like pulsating or throbbing pain, blurred vision, nausea, sensitivity to light, vomiting, and sensitivity to sound.
- Tension headaches can concentrate on a single side, but typically affect both sides, with signs like dull, aching pain, scalp tenderness, tender or tight shoulder and neck muscles, and tightness or pressure across the forehead, sides, or back of the head.
- Cluster headaches are intense, short-lived headaches that occur in recurring cycles, usually concentrated around one eye, while the pain can also radiate to other areas of the head, face, neck, and shoulders.
- When experiencing recurring headaches or frequent or severe one-sided headaches, it's important to consult a healthcare provider to determine the underlying cause, especially if accompanied by symptoms like vision changes, confusion, fever, head injury, increased pain during movement, neck stiffness, numbness, personality or cognitive changes, rash, sleep disturbances, slurred speech, weakness, vision changes, or slurred speech.
