Headache isn’t a common COVID-19 symptom, but some patients experience it: Know why

The deadly COVID-19 virus affects different people in different ways, but most infected people develop mild to moderate symptoms. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the most common symptoms of COVID-19 are fever, tiredness, and a dry cough. Some patients may experience aches and pains, nasal congestion, runny nose, sore throat, or diarrhea.

When someone is infected with the virus, on average it takes 5–6 days to show the symptoms. In some cases, it can take up to 14 days. People with mild symptoms who are otherwise healthy are advised to self-isolate at home to prevent spread of the virus. If you have fever, cough, and difficulty breathing, you should seek medical attention.

While headache is not included in the list of common symptoms of COVID-19, some patients have reported experiencing it too. A Report of the WHO-China Joint Mission on Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) noted that about 14% of people infected with COVID-19 experience headache. Some of those headaches are reported to be pretty intense.

This report gives rise to some questions such as- Is headache also a symptom of COVID-19? If yes, why is that only some people have it? What is the connection between COVID-19—a respiratory disease—and a headache. Read on to know what the experts say about it.

COVID-19 and headache

When viruses that cause diseases like the common cold, flu or COVID-19, attack our body, our immune system responds in many ways to combat the infection. During this battle between the body and the virus, our immune cells release proteins called cytokines to eliminate infectious pathogens. However, these proteins can also cause inflammation, fever, and fatigue. Sometime a headache may come along with these reactions.

Many other factors related to the coronavirus, such as constant coughing and a stuffy sinus, may also cause headache. Even frequent nose blowing can cause a headache, say experts. A headache may also be related to other underlying health conditions, lack of sleep, not eating properly, dehydration, etc. they added.

Headache is not a common symptom of COVID-19, and as it is a “non-specific symptom” of infection and other health conditions, it’s difficult to say why some people with COVID-19 get headaches, while others don’t – some experts asserted.

What to do if you have a headache?

If you’re a COVID-19 patient and experience headaches, experts recommend continuing with pain relief medications. But consult your doctor before taking any medicine. Besides taking medications to relieve headache pain, eat plenty of nutritious foods, keep your fluid intake up, and get as much rest as possible.

Avoid foods that can trigger headaches such as alcohol, chocolate, caffeine, spicy foods, aged cheese and meats, citrus fruit, monosodium glutamate, or MSG, etc.

Exercise like aerobic, may also help relieve headaches. Research says exercise releases endorphins, which is the body’s natural painkiller. Stay hydrated by drinking five to seven cups of water each day. Dehydration can trigger migraine headache.

Stress can bring on headaches too. So, try things to reduce your stress like walking around the block, reading a book, or talking to friends. Just give yourself some ‘me time’ and do things that make you feel relaxed and happy. This will help in stress reduction and relive your headache.

Headache isn’t a common COVID-19 symptom, but some patients experience it: Know why

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Headache isn’t a common COVID-19 symptom, but some patients experience it: Know why

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