Headaches may be due to many causes. They may be caused by problems within the skull (intracranial problems) e.g. bleeding, clots and vascular abnormalities, tumours, inflammation, infection and injury, or they may be due to problems from outside the skull (extracranial causes). It is important to distinguish between intracranial and extracranial causes of headaches as the former will need investigations. Acute headaches and subacute headaches which increase in frequency and intensity need to be treated with suspicion.

Tension, muscular headaches and migraines comprise the most common causes of headaches. Headaches associated with sinusitis, ear and eye problems are less common. Most of these headaches respond well to acupuncture therapy.