Headaches (pain in the head) occur frequently in the adolescent and adult population.  They range in type, location, severity, frequency, duration, and level of impairment or dysfunction that they may cause.  Mild to moderate tension or pressure type headaches that are obviously related to inadequate sleep, dehydration, stress, or muscle tension typically improve with strategies to remedy the underlying cause.  More severe headaches with symptoms such as throbbing, pounding, light sensitivity, nausea, vomiting, etc. can be signs of migraines and may require different, sometimes more aggressive treatment. People who use pain medication frequently (e.g. more than 3 times per week for 15 weeks in a row or more) may suffer from “medication overuse” or “rebound” headache syndrome and need specific treatment strategies to resolve them.  Waking in the middle of the night with new headaches, headaches that are severe in the mornings and improve over the day, or having the “worst headache in your life” may be symptoms of more serious headaches and require more immediate medical attention.