Differential Diagnosis for Morning Headache
- Single most likely diagnosis
- Migraine: Often presents with morning headaches that can be severe but may resolve within a few minutes to hours, especially if treated. The transient nature could also suggest a migraine aura without the headache phase being prominent.
- Other Likely diagnoses
- Tension Headache: Can occur at any time, including mornings, and may resolve quickly, especially with relaxation or over-the-counter pain relievers.
- Sleep Disorder (e.g., Sleep Apnea, Insomnia): Morning headaches can be associated with poor sleep quality or disorders, which may resolve once the underlying sleep issue is addressed.
- Dehydration or Hangover: Waking up dehydrated or with a hangover can cause headaches that may improve with hydration or resolution of the hangover effects.
- Do Not Miss (ddxs that may not be likely, but would be deadly if missed.)
- Subarachnoid Hemorrhage: Although rare, a "thunderclap" headache that reaches maximum intensity within minutes can occur in the morning and is a medical emergency.
- Brain Tumor: While less common, a brain tumor can cause morning headaches due to increased intracranial pressure, which may temporarily improve with positional changes.
- Temporal Arteritis: This condition, more common in older adults, can cause headaches that may seem to resolve but requires prompt treatment to prevent complications like vision loss.
- Rare diagnoses
- Hypnic Headache: A rare condition characterized by recurrent headaches that occur only during sleep and wake the patient, typically in the early morning hours.
- Cluster Headache: Although more commonly occurs at night, cluster headaches can happen in the morning and are known for their severe, one-sided pain.
- Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension (IIH): Can cause morning headaches due to increased intracranial pressure, often associated with other symptoms like vision changes.