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Headache Treatment Online

See a bulk billed telehealth GP for tension-type, migraine, cluster, or medication-overuse headache. Get acute and preventive prescriptions, imaging and neurologist referrals, and same-day medical certificates from home.

Can a telehealth GP treat a headache online?

Yes, in most cases. The vast majority of headaches are primary — tension-type, migraine, cluster, or medication-overuse — and can be assessed from a careful history, which suits telehealth. An AHPRA-registered GP at NewDoc can identify the headache type, screen for red-flag features, prescribe acute or preventive treatment per Australian Therapeutic Guidelines, arrange imaging or pathology if indicated, and refer you to a neurologist where needed. The consult, eScript, referrals, and any medical certificate are bulk billed for eligible Medicare cardholders.

Seek emergency care for sudden "thunderclap" headache, headache with neck stiffness or fever, focal neurological symptoms, seizures, head injury, headache in pregnancy or postpartum, or any headache that is the worst of your life.

What kind of headache do I have?

Headaches are usually classified as primary (where the headache itself is the condition) or secondary (where the headache is a symptom of something else, like sinusitis, head injury, or rarely something more serious). The vast majority — over 90% — are primary, and the three most common patterns are tension-type, migraine, and medication-overuse headache.

Diagnosing your headache type usually comes from the history alone — the time course, character, triggers, frequency, and what makes it better or worse. That suits telehealth. Your GP will work through the same questions a face-to-face consult would cover and decide on the most likely diagnosis and the right next step.

When to see a GP, and when to go straight to an ED

Book a GP (in person or via bulk billed telehealth) if your headaches are recurrent, interfering with work or sleep, lasting longer than usual, or you are using acute pain medication more than a few days a week. New headache patterns warrant assessment.

Attend an emergency department, or call 000, if you have any of the following red-flag features:

  • Sudden, severe headache reaching peak intensity within minutes ("thunderclap" — possible subarachnoid haemorrhage)
  • Headache with fever, neck stiffness, rash, or photophobia (possible meningitis)
  • Headache with focal neurological symptoms (weakness, numbness, speech difficulty, vision loss, confusion, balance change)
  • Headache with seizure
  • Headache after head injury within the last 24 hours, particularly with vomiting, drowsiness, or memory loss
  • The "worst headache of your life"
  • New headache pattern in pregnancy or postpartum (consider pre-eclampsia, cerebral venous sinus thrombosis)
  • New headache in someone with cancer, immunocompromise, HIV, or recent stroke
  • Visual disturbances that do not resolve, especially in someone over 50 (consider giant cell arteritis)
  • Sudden severe headache during exercise, sex, or straining

For these features, do not delay by booking telehealth — go straight to an emergency department.

Tension-type headache

Tension-type headache feels like a band of pressure or tightness around the head, on both sides, mild-to-moderate in intensity, not made worse by routine activity, and not associated with nausea or sensitivity to light or sound. Common triggers include stress, poor sleep, prolonged screen use, neck strain, dehydration, and caffeine withdrawal. Treatment is usually simple analgesia (paracetamol or ibuprofen), addressing triggers (regular sleep, hydration, screen breaks, stress management), and physical therapies such as physiotherapy for neck-related tension. Frequent tension-type headache may benefit from a preventive plan.

Migraine

Migraine is a recurrent disabling headache disorder. Typical features include moderate-to-severe pain, often one-sided, throbbing, lasting 4 to 72 hours, with nausea or vomiting, sensitivity to light and sound, and worsening with activity. Around a third of people with migraine experience aura — most commonly visual (flashing lights, zig-zag patterns, partial loss of vision) — minutes to an hour before the headache starts.

Acute treatment combines simple analgesia, an anti-emetic if needed, and a triptan medication (such as sumatriptan, rizatriptan, or zolmitriptan) for moderate-to-severe attacks. Preventive treatment is considered when migraines are frequent (more than 4 per month) or disabling — options include propranolol, amitriptyline, topiramate, candesartan, and newer CGRP-pathway medications. NewDoc has a dedicated page on migraine that covers acute and preventive treatment in more depth.

Cluster headache

Cluster headache is less common but particularly severe. Attacks cause excruciating one-sided pain around or behind the eye, lasting 15 minutes to 3 hours, often with a red or watery eye, runny nose, drooping eyelid, or sweating on the same side as the pain. People with cluster headache often pace or feel agitated during an attack. Attacks group in bouts that last weeks to months, then remit for months or years. Acute treatment may include high-flow oxygen and subcutaneous sumatriptan; verapamil is the most commonly used preventive. A neurology referral is usually appropriate to confirm the diagnosis and guide management.

Medication-overuse headache

Medication-overuse headache (MOH), also called rebound headache, is a common but under-recognised cause of chronic daily headache. It develops when acute pain medications are taken too often — typically more than 10 to 15 days a month over several months. The most common culprits are codeine-containing products, triptans, paracetamol, and ibuprofen. Treatment involves a structured withdrawal of the overused medication, with preventive therapy started at the same time to manage the underlying primary headache. Your GP can help plan this and provide medical certificates for time off work during the withdrawal phase if needed.

References

This content is informational and does not replace individual medical advice. For personal assessment, book a consultation with your GP. In emergencies, call 000.

Reviewed by Dr. Jason Yu FRACGP

Last reviewed 12 May 2026. Editorial policy

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Frequently asked questions

Can a telehealth GP treat a headache?

Yes, in most cases. The vast majority of headaches are primary (tension-type, migraine, or cluster) and can be assessed entirely from a careful history, which suits telehealth. A NewDoc GP can take a focused history, identify the headache type, screen for red-flag features that warrant urgent in-person review, prescribe acute or preventive treatment per Australian Therapeutic Guidelines, arrange imaging or pathology if indicated, and refer you to a neurologist where needed. The consult, eScript, referrals, and any medical certificate are bulk billed for eligible Medicare cardholders.

When should a headache be assessed urgently in person or in an emergency department?

Attend an emergency department, or call 000, if you have a sudden, severe headache that reaches peak intensity within minutes (often called a thunderclap headache — possible subarachnoid haemorrhage), a headache with neck stiffness, rash, or fever (possible meningitis), a new headache with focal neurological symptoms (weakness, numbness, speech difficulty, vision loss, confusion), seizures, head injury within the last 24 hours, or any headache that is the 'worst of your life'. Headache in pregnancy or postpartum, or in someone immunocompromised, also warrants urgent review. For these features, do not delay by booking telehealth.

What is a tension-type headache?

Tension-type headache is the most common primary headache. It typically feels like a band of pressure or tightness around the head, both sides, mild-to-moderate in intensity, not made worse by routine activity, and not associated with nausea or sensitivity to light or sound. Triggers include stress, poor sleep, prolonged screen use, neck strain, dehydration, and caffeine withdrawal. Most respond to simple analgesia (paracetamol or ibuprofen), lifestyle changes, and addressing triggers.

What is a migraine and how is it treated?

Migraine is a primary headache disorder characterised by recurrent episodes of moderate-to-severe headache — often one-sided, throbbing, lasting 4 to 72 hours — typically with nausea or vomiting, sensitivity to light and sound, and worsening with activity. Around a third of patients experience aura (visual disturbances, sensory changes, or speech change) before or during the headache. Acute treatment includes simple analgesia, anti-emetics, and triptan medications per Australian Therapeutic Guidelines. Preventive treatment is considered when migraines are frequent or disabling — options include beta-blockers, certain antidepressants, anti-epileptics, and newer CGRP-pathway medications. NewDoc has a dedicated migraine page covering treatment in more depth.

Could my headache be coming from my medications?

Yes. Medication-overuse headache (MOH) — also called rebound headache — is one of the most common causes of chronic daily headache. It develops when acute pain medications are taken too often (typically more than 10 to 15 days a month for several months). The most common culprits are codeine-containing products, triptans, paracetamol, and ibuprofen. Treatment involves a structured withdrawal of the overused medication, with a preventive plan in place. Other medications — nitrates, calcium-channel blockers, certain antidepressants, hormonal contraceptives, hormone replacement therapy — can also cause headache. Your GP can review your medication list.

What is a cluster headache?

Cluster headache is a less common but particularly severe primary headache. It causes excruciating one-sided pain around or behind the eye, lasting 15 minutes to 3 hours, often associated with a red or watery eye, runny nose, drooping eyelid, or sweating on the same side as the pain. Attacks cluster over weeks to months, then remit. People with cluster headache often pace or feel agitated during an attack. Acute treatment may include high-flow oxygen and subcutaneous sumatriptan; preventive options include verapamil. A neurology referral is usually appropriate.

When does headache need a brain scan?

Most primary headaches do not require imaging. Imaging is considered when red-flag features are present — sudden onset, new headache type in someone over 50, focal neurological signs, papilloedema, headache that wakes you from sleep, headache made worse by lying down or by Valsalva (cough, strain, exertion), new headache in cancer or immunocompromise, or any of the urgent features that warrant ED review. Your GP can issue a bulk-billed referral for CT or MRI brain scanning if criteria are met, and discuss when a scan is or is not appropriate.

Could my headache be from high blood pressure?

Routine high blood pressure does not usually cause headache. However, a hypertensive emergency (severe sudden rise in blood pressure with symptoms such as severe headache, vision change, chest pain, breathlessness, or confusion) is a medical emergency requiring ED review. Pre-eclampsia in pregnancy can present with headache and elevated blood pressure and is also urgent. Your GP can review your blood pressure history and current readings.

Can I get an MRI or CT scan referral through telehealth?

Yes. Your telehealth GP can issue an MRI or CT brain scan referral during the consultation, sent electronically to the imaging provider of your choice. CT brain is most commonly used acutely; MRI brain is preferred for non-acute investigation of new persistent headache and is the most sensitive test for many causes. Medicare bulk-billing for MRI applies to a defined set of clinical scenarios — your GP will explain what is and is not eligible.

When should a child with headache be assessed via telehealth?

Telehealth is suitable for assessing many childhood headaches in the first instance — your GP can review the history, identify red-flag features, advise on simple analgesia and lifestyle measures, and decide whether in-person review or any investigation is needed. Children with sudden severe headache, headache with vomiting, focal neurological signs, balance change, head injury, fever and neck stiffness, or any rapidly worsening symptoms need urgent in-person assessment, not telehealth.

Can I get a medical certificate for headache?

Yes. If your GP determines that you are unfit for work, school, or carer responsibilities because of your headache, a medical certificate can be issued during the consultation and sent electronically within minutes. Where clinically appropriate, the certificate can cover the period from when your symptoms started.

Is the headache consultation bulk billed?

Yes. NewDoc bulk bills telehealth consultations for eligible Medicare cardholders, so there is no out-of-pocket cost for the GP appointment. Any eScript, imaging referral, pathology referral, specialist referral (such as to a neurologist), or medical certificate issued during the consultation is included at no extra charge. Medications themselves are usually subsidised under the PBS at your pharmacy.

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