Doctor warns about a specific type of headache that people over 50 should NEVER ignore

A doctor has revealed the three types of headaches that should never be ignored as they could be a warning sign of a brain tumor, an aneurysm or an infection.

US-based neurologist Dr. Baibing Chen, who on social media is Dr. Bing, warned that while most headaches are “harmless,” there are crucial warning signs to look out for.

In the video, which has been viewed 640,000 times on TikTok, Dr Bing warned that these warning signs are particularly worrying in the over-50s – while brain diseases are much more common.

One of the most worrying types of headaches is a thunderclap.

‘This is a headache that reaches 10 out of 10 pains within a minute and people usually describe it as the worst headache of their lives,’ said Dr Bing.

“The most important thing we need to rule out here is a subarachnoid hemorrhage, usually caused by a ruptured aneurysm, but there can be other causes,” he added.

A subarachnoid hemorrhage is a particularly fatal form of stroke in which bleeding occurs on the surface of the brain.

In addition to a sudden and severe headache, it can also cause neck pain, vomiting and seizures.

Dr. Bing adds that there may be other triggers for these types of headaches.

‘This includes things like RCVS, which is an intermittent narrowing of the blood vessels in the brain, and cerebral venous thrombosis, which is a clot in the main vein in the brain,’ he said.

He explained that as we age, the likelihood of developing a new primary headache such as migraine decreases and therefore less common and more serious causes such as hematomas, brain tumors and infections should be ruled out by a doctor.

People over 50 in particular should be on the lookout for new symptoms associated with headaches, including a change in vision, a sensitive scalp and pain while chewing.

Dr. Bing warns it could be giant cell arteritis.

“This is an inflammatory condition of the blood vessels and can lead to permanent blindness if not treated quickly with high doses of steroids,” he said.

His final red flag is a headache accompanied by drooping eyelid, dilation of that pupil and double vision.

In this case, he urges people to seek immediate medical attention as it could be an aneurysm – a bulging blood vessel that can rupture at any time.

Dr. Bing said, “I mention this specifically because this is one of the few times we can catch a brain aneurysm before it ruptures.

“This particular set of symptoms may be caused by an aneurysm pinching the third cranial nerve and requires urgent treatment,” he added.

Headaches are not always serious and, according to the NHS, can be caused by poor posture, taking too many painkillers, flu, dehydration, stress and vision problems.

But Dr. Bing emphasizes that if someone has new headaches or other headache features, they should be further evaluated.