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Headache Diagnosis

Diagnosis of tension or cluster headache is based on symptoms and a thorough medical examination, including the following:

• Blood tests including thyroid, liver, and kidney function tests
• Eye examination
• Family history
• Medical history (including medications and characteristics of the headache)
• Neurological examination
• Sleep habits

Imaging studies of the brain may be necessary to rule out any serious underlying medical problem, such as brain tumor, stroke, infection, and vascular malformation (e.g., aneurysm).

Imaging studies that may be performed include:

• Computed tomography (CT scan) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI scan) to examine the tissues and structures around, on, and in the brain
• Electroencephalogram (EEG) to measure brain activity
• X-rays or magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) to evaluate the brain's blood vessels

Laboratory and imaging tests can help rule out secondary causes of headache, such as the following:

• Brain tumor
• Cerebral aneurysm
• High blood pressure (hypertension)
• Infection (e.g., meningitis, sinusitis, ear infection)
• Temporal arteritis
• Trigeminal neuralgia

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