Headache with nausea and vomiting
Nausea and vomiting may occur with many types of headaches, especially migraine headaches, and may continue for 8 to 24 hours. Nausea and vomiting with a headache that doesn't get better or go away may be a sign of another serious medical problem or serious illness, such as:
- Inflammation of the brain (encephalitis).
- Infection of the fluid and tissues that surround the brain and spinal cord (meningitis).
- A pocket of infection in the brain (brain abscess).
- Bleeding within or around the brain.
If ongoing nausea and vomiting occur with a headache, dehydration may become a problem. Dehydration can occur very quickly in young children and older adults. When you have a headache and prolonged nausea and vomiting, watch for signs of dehydration.
| Author: | Sydney Youngerman-Cole, RN, BSN, RNC | Last Updated: July 12, 2006 |
| Medical Review: | William M. Green, MD - Emergency Medicine H. Michael O'Connor, MD - Emergency Medicine | |
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