You will be asked about your symptoms and health history. A physical exam will be done. The cause of a headache can be hard to find out. The doctor will ask about how often you get headaches and if they come in a pattern. Keep a diary of:

• When your headaches start and end
• What you were doing at the time
• What you did to try to ease pain and if it worked
• Family members with the same problem
• Triggers that you know of
• Where the pain is and where it spreads to
• Other symptoms that you have with the pain

Tests to find out the cause are:

• Neurological exam to check:
  • Muscle strength
  • Coordination
  • Reflexes
  • Sensation
  • Mental status
  • Cranial nerve function
• Lumbar puncture —Spinal fluid is collected to look for bleeding, infections, or cancer. The pressure may also be measured.

Images are done to check internal structures for problems. Some tests may use contrast material to make the images easier to see. These may be:

• X-rays .
• CT scan
• MRI scan
• Nasal endoscopy —A thin, lighted tube with a camera is placed in the nose. If needed, tissue samples can be taken and tested.