Of necessity, the investigations required for any patient with an acute headache will depend upon the:
The most important investigation is the neurological examination itself. This must include:
Most patients with a normal neurological examination and a ‘non-thunderclap’ headache will require no further investigation.
In about 10% of ED headache patients, the history and/or the examination will suggest the possibility of a secondary cause. Such patients will need to undergo a brain computerised tomography (CT) scan.