Around 50% of adults worldwide have a headache disorder. Some headaches are minor and resolve with home treatment, but some are more severe and need medical care.
If a headache occurs with blurred vision, nausea, or any other symptom that causes concern, seek medical attention. If a person has a sudden, severe headache and weakness on one side of the body or confusion, they need emergency care.
This article explores the symptoms, causes, and treatments for headaches on the left side. It also provides more information about when to see a doctor.
Several kinds of headaches can cause pain on the left side, including migraine and cluster headaches. We describe these in detail below.
Generally, doctors classify headaches as “primary” or “secondary.” For a person with a primary headache, the pain is the main symptom. A secondary headache results from another health issue, such as:
- a brain tumor
- a stroke
- an infection
The headaches that result can occur in any location, including the left side.
Migraine can cause a moderate to severe headache on the left side. The condition affects
A migraine headache may throb and be worse on one side. The pain may begin around the eye or temple, then spread across the head.
Some other symptoms of migraine include:
- changes to vision
- nausea and vomiting
- dizziness
- extreme sensitivity to sound, light, touch, or smell
- numbness or a tingling sensation in the face or extremities
One rare type of migraine, called a hemiplegic migraine, can also cause weakness in the limbs and face on one side of the body.
A migraine episode typically lasts
Experts do not understand the exact causes, but genetic factors and environmental triggers appear to play a role.
Common triggers include:
- stress, a factor in
80% of cases - hormonal changes, present in 65% of cases
- certain foods, such as alcohol, cheese, and chocolate
- sleeping too much or too little
- bright lights or lights that flicker
- odors, such as perfumes
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