Nurse Moffat comes to see what’s wrong as she notices that Angela is holding her head in her hand and is grimacing with pain.
The following are questions that Nurse Moffat should now ask Angela
Q. Where is the headache?
Stroke-related headache is usually on the same side as the infarct or haemorrhage.
Q. How bad is it?
Severity will help to decide the urgency of further tests.
Q. What is it like?
Useful to know if the pain is sharp, dull, constant or throbbing.
Q. Did it just start today?
Stroke-related headache usually starts at the time of the stroke or immediately afterwards.
Q. Is headache a regular occurrence?
People who have migraine are at increased risk of stroke.
Q. Is there anything which makes it worse or better?
Useful to ask if positioning affects the pain since poor positioning in stroke patients can cause neck pain and headache.
Q. Is anything else wrong?
Any nausea or visual disturbance which would suggest possible migraine or new limb symptoms which would suggest a further stroke.
Page last reviewed: 02 Feb 2022
