Headaches are a very common problem. Most headaches are due to stress and tension and are not caused by cancer.

A common cause of headaches is migraine. Often, a migraine headache begins with changes in vision, lasting anywhere from a few minutes to an hour. Someone with a migraine may see bright or flashing lights. Objects may appear out of focus to them or even disappear when looked at. When normal vision comes back it's quickly followed by a throbbing headache around the temples (the sides of the forehead). Usually people feel sick or vomit when they have a migraine headache.

Brain tumours do not cause migraine-type headaches. Only about 1 in a 100 people who develop regular non-migraine headaches have a brain tumour.

Usually, a headache caused by a brain tumour is due to pressure in the head from the tumour. This pressure can cause sickness, with a headache and drowsiness, especially on waking. Sometimes, it causes swelling at the back of the eye (called papilloedema). A doctor can see papilloedema by examining the eye with a special eye torch - an ophthalmoscope.

Even though it is unlikely that your headache is due to a brain tumour it's worth seeing your family doctor (GP) for a check up.

The Department of Health guidelines recommend that your doctor should make an urgent appointment for you to see a hospital specialist (within 2 weeks), if you have headaches and sickness together with papilloedema. They should also consider an urgent referral if you have headaches that are not due to migraine, which have started recently and cause sickness or wake you up in the mornings or make you drowsy.