Left-sided headaches are commonly tension headaches or migraines. Seek care right away if the headache is sudden and severe.
Common causes
- Tension headache: dull band-like pain, either side.
- Migraine: throbbing, often one-sided, with nausea and light sensitivity.
- Cluster headache: severe pain around one eye.
- Sinus problems.
- Neck strain or TMJ.
- Dehydration, poor sleep.
Home care
Rest, hydration, cold or warm compress and over-the-counter pain relievers. Don’t overuse them (more than 2 to 3 days a week).
Call 911 if
It’s sudden and the worst of your life, or comes with weakness, speech trouble, vision loss, confusion, fever with stiff neck or follows head injury.
See a doctor if
Headaches are new after 50, worsening or frequent.
Triggers
Stress, certain foods, caffeine changes.
Common causes of left-sided headaches
Pain on one side of the head is common, and the side does not usually indicate a different cause than the right side. Common causes include tension headaches, migraines, cluster headaches, sinus problems and neck strain.
- Tension-type headache: a dull, tight band-like pain on both sides, though it can be one-sided. It is the most common headache, affecting about 70% of people at some point.
- Migraine: throbbing pain, often one-sided, with nausea, light and sound sensitivity, lasting 4 to 72 hours. About 12% of Americans have migraines, and women are affected three times as often as men.
- Cluster headache: severe pain around one eye, with tearing and a stuffy nose, in cycles. It affects about 0.1% of people.
- Sinusitis with facial pressure.
- Cervicogenic headache from neck problems.
- Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders and teeth grinding.
- Occipital neuralgia: shooting pain from the base of the skull.
- Eye strain and vision problems.
- Medication overuse headache from using painkillers over 10 to 15 days a month.
- Dental problems and ear infections.
- Temporal arteritis in older adults.
Triggers
Lack of sleep, stress, skipped meals, dehydration, caffeine changes, alcohol (especially red wine), strong smells, bright light, weather changes, hormones and certain foods.
Home care
- Rest in a dark, quiet room.
- Take ibuprofen, naproxen, acetaminophen or aspirin as directed, and avoid use more than 2 to 3 days a week.
- Apply a cold pack or warm compress.
- Drink water and eat regular meals.
- Gently massage the neck and temples.
- Practice relaxation and good sleep habits.
Call 911 if
The headache is the worst of your life and came on suddenly like a thunderclap, or follows a head injury, or comes with weakness or numbness on one side, confusion, trouble speaking, vision loss, stiff neck with fever, seizure or fainting.
See a doctor if
Headaches are new after age 50, get worse over time, wake you from sleep, are frequent, or come with jaw pain when chewing, scalp tenderness or vision problems.
Migraine and tension headache data
Migraine affects about 12 percent of Americans, or around 39 million people, and about 3 in 4 are women. It often affects one side of the head with throbbing pain, nausea and sensitivity to light and sound, and lasts 4 to 72 hours. Tension headaches are the most common type, causing a band like pressure on both sides. Cluster headaches produce severe pain around one eye, with tearing and a stuffy nose on that side, and they affect fewer than 1 in 1,000 people. Other causes of one sided pain include sinus infection, jaw problems (TMJ), neck strain, eye strain and dehydration. Treat early with an NSAID, rest in a dark room and hydrate. Medication overuse headaches can occur if painkillers are used more than 10 to 15 days a month. Call 911 for sudden severe “thunderclap” headache, headache after head injury, confusion, weakness, vision loss or fever with a stiff neck.
Based on data from the American Migraine Foundation and the NINDS
