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

US based Neurologist Dr Baibing Chen, who goes by Dr Bing on social media, warned that although most headaches are ‘harmless’ there are crucial red flags to look out for. 

In the video, which has amassed 640,000 views on TikTok, Dr Bing warned that these warning signs are especially concerning in those over 50 — when brain diseases are far more common.

Among the most worrying types of headaches is a thunderclap.

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

‘The most important thing to rule out here is subarachnoid hemorrhage usually caused by a ruptured aneurysm, but there can be other causes as well,’ he added.

A subarachnoid hemorrhage is an especially deadly type of stroke involving bleeding 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 could be other triggers for this type of headache.

‘These include things like RCVS which is intermittent narrowing of the blood vessels in the brain as well as cerebral venous thrombosis which is a clot in the major vein in the brain,’ he said. 

He explained that as we age, the chance of developing a new primary headache like a migraine decreases and because of this, less common and more serious causes like hematomas, brain tumours and infections need to be ruled out by a doctor.

The over 50s should be especially wary of new symptoms that come along with a headache, including a change in vision, scalp tenderness 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 it is not treated very quickly with high dose steroids,’ he said. 

His final red flag is a headache that comes alongside drooping of one eyelid, dilation of that pupil and double vision.

In this instance he urges people to seek medical help immediately because it could be an aneurysm — a bulging blood vessel that can rupture at any time.

Dr Bing said: ‘I specifically mention this because this is one of few times that we can catch a brain aneurysm before it ruptures. 

‘This specific set of symptoms can be caused by an aneurysm compressing on the third cranial nerve and need to be treated urgently,’ he added. 

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

But Dr Bing stresses that if someone has new headaches or different headache features, they need to be evaluated further. 

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