COVID long-haulers face multiple symptoms that can persist long after diagnosis, including fatigue, breathing issues, joint aches, chest pain, brain fog, and various mental health issues. Healthcare providers in the U.S. are now seeing more patients experiencing continual, debilitating headaches that can last for weeks and sometimes months, even after mild COVID-19.

You’re Not Alone

Research suggests that these extreme headaches are being witnessed worldwide. A May 2021 article by medical investigators in Italy discusses persistent headaches being seen in people with long COVID and how they need to be a new focus of study to help improve patient quality of life.

The researchers explain that headache is one of the symptoms of initial COVID infection and is observed in 14%-60% of patients. At least 50% of people who recover from initial infection end up experiencing a decline in quality of life, and headache is a possible consequence of coronavirus infection that must again be considered.

A New Class of Headache

Experts say that while headaches stemming from viral infections aren’t uncommon, these headaches are more unusual. They’re arising for reasons not yet known after a person has recovered from initial COVID-19 infection, and coming on with severe intensity. 

Referred to as a “new daily persistent headache,” the condition is unrelenting and can worsen already existing migraine episodes. “A patient will tell you they have a 24/7 baseline of headaches or pain that gets worse from time to time,” says headache specialist Emad Estemalik, M.D. of the Cleveland Clinic.  

What Can You Do?

Because we don’t yet know what causes these lingering headaches, they often appear with other long COVID symptoms, and brain scans typically don’t turn up anything abnormal; treatment is often “very, very challenging,” according to Estemalik. Since there’s no single correct approach to managing these headaches, proper clinical judgment is vital in decision-making. 

• Clinically, an interdisciplinary approach is commonly employed to test patient response to a variety of treatment options, including medications, psychological therapy, and physical rehabilitation.
•  At home, most people will opt for over-the-counter (OTC) painkillers like aspirin or ibuprofen, though Estemalik warns these medications can cause a “rebound headache” if used for more than a week, if daily dosage is exceeded, or if taken with caffeine.
• If relief with OTC medications can’t be achieved, people should contact their doctor.

There May Be Another Reason for Your Headache

Unless your headache occurs with other long COVID symptoms (fatigue, breathlessness, brain fog, etc.), it’s probably due to something other than COVID-19, such as allergies, stress, or weather. Estemalik advises people to see their doctor if they’re uncertain.

Reducing Risk with Vaccination

Estemalik encourages people to get vaccinated to reduce their risk of infection, serious illness if they do get sick, and possible long-haul symptoms thereafter. “It’s the best thing you can do to avoid the virus and what it brings.” 

Much about the novel coronavirus, i.e., COVID-19, is still not fully understood. As research progresses and our knowledge of the virus increases, information can change rapidly. We strive to update all of our articles as quickly as possible, but there may occasionally be some lag between scientific developments and our revisions. 

*Cleveland Clinic. (2021, September 16). Headaches and COVID-19 Long-Haulers: What to Know. https://health.clevelandclinic.org/long-covid-headaches.