Key Takeaways
- Most recurring headaches are caused by primary conditions like tension headaches or migraine, not by a serious underlying problem.
- Brain imaging is usually not needed for stable migraine, but certain warning signs (sudden onset, change in pattern, new neurological symptoms) make imaging a smart next step.
- MRI offers detailed, radiation-free views of the brain and can help identify or rule out causes like tumors, strokes, vascular abnormalities, and multiple sclerosis.
- Knowing the difference between tension headaches, migraines, and more serious conditions helps patients have better conversations with their physicians.
- Smart Scan Medical Imaging offers fast, ACR-accredited brain MRI in Eau Claire, Wausau, Madison, and Milwaukee, with same-day and next-day availability. Request an appointment when you need answers.
Why Do I Keep Getting Headaches?
Most recurring headaches are caused by a primary headache disorder, most often tension-type headaches or migraine, rather than by a tumor or another serious condition. Headache is one of the most common neurological complaints in the United States, and according to the CDC's National Center for Health Statistics, in 2021, 4.3% of U.S. adults reported being bothered a lot by headache or migraine in the past 3 months, with the rate among women (6.2%) significantly higher than among men (2.2%).
The fact that something is common does not mean it should be ignored. Frequent headaches that interfere with daily life are a reasonable reason to talk to your physician, who can decide whether brain imaging or other testing is appropriate. When advanced imaging is needed, Smart Scan Medical Imaging offers fellowship-trained neuroradiologists and a state-of-the-art GE Voyager 1.5T wide-bore MRI.
What Are the Most Common Causes of Frequent Headaches?
The most common causes of frequent headaches in adults are primary conditions like tension-type headaches and migraine, followed by secondary causes such as sinus inflammation, hormonal changes, or medication overuse.
Specifically, recurring headaches often fall into these categories:
- Tension-type headaches: Pressing or tightening pain on both sides of the head, often related to stress, posture, eye strain, or sleep disruption.
- Migraine: Recurring, often pulsating headaches that can include nausea, sensitivity to light and sound, and aura. Migraine is the most common neurological disease worldwide.
- Cluster headaches: Severe, one-sided pain often around the eye, occurring in clusters over weeks or months.
- Sinus and post-nasal headaches: Pain in the forehead, cheeks, or around the eyes, often linked to congestion or sinus inflammation.
- Medication-overuse headaches: Frequent use of pain relievers can paradoxically increase headache frequency.
- Hormonal headaches: Some women experience headaches tied to menstrual cycles, pregnancy, or menopause.
- Sleep, dehydration, or caffeine-related headaches: Daily habits that build up over time can trigger frequent symptoms.
In a smaller number of cases, headaches are a symptom of a secondary condition, such as a vascular problem, a tumor, an infection, or an issue with intracranial pressure. These are the cases where imaging plays the biggest role.
When Should You Worry About Headaches?
You should worry about a headache when it is sudden and severe, changes in pattern or frequency, comes with neurological symptoms, or appears for the first time after age 50. These are the warning signs clinicians use to decide whether advanced brain imaging is appropriate.
Physicians often screen for these using a mnemonic called SNOOP. According to a clinical review on neuroimaging of headache, red flags that may warrant imaging include:
- A sudden, severe headache that reaches peak intensity within seconds or a minute (a 'thunderclap' headache)
- A new headache after age 50
- A clear change in the pattern, frequency, or character of long-standing headaches
- Headaches associated with neurological symptoms such as weakness, numbness, vision changes, slurred speech, confusion, or seizures
- Headaches that are worse with coughing, straining, exertion, or position changes
- New headaches in patients with cancer, HIV, or other immunocompromising conditions
- Headaches after recent head trauma
- Headaches with fever, stiff neck, or other signs of systemic illness
Most people with stable, recurring migraine do not need imaging. The American Headache Society's Choosing Wisely recommendation advises against routine neuroimaging in patients whose headaches meet migraine criteria and have not changed. The presence of red flags is what shifts the picture.
How Does Brain MRI Help Diagnose Neurological Conditions?
A brain MRI helps diagnose neurological conditions by producing detailed, radiation-free images of the brain and surrounding structures that can reveal tumors, strokes, vascular abnormalities, demyelinating disease, and other underlying causes of headache.
When imaging is needed, brain MRI is often preferred over CT for non-acute, recurring headaches because it provides superior soft-tissue detail without using radiation, according to Cleveland Clinic.
At Smart Scan, neuroradiology MRI is used to help evaluate or rule out conditions including:
- Brain tumors and other abnormal growths
- Stroke and bleeding in the brain
- Multiple sclerosis and other demyelinating diseases
- Aneurysms and vascular abnormalities
- Sinus, pituitary, and posterior fossa abnormalities that can cause headache
- Issues with intracranial pressure
- Inflammation or infection of the brain
Each scan is interpreted by board-certified, fellowship-trained neuroradiologists, and Smart Scan also offers advanced capabilities like DTI brain mapping and AI-powered volumetric analysis when more detailed neurological insight is needed.
What Is the Difference Between Tension Headaches, Migraines, and More Serious Conditions?
Tension headaches typically cause pressing, both-sided pain without other symptoms; migraines often bring throbbing, one-sided pain with nausea or sensitivity to light and sound; more serious conditions usually involve warning signs like sudden onset, new neurological symptoms, or a clear change in pattern.
The table below outlines general patterns. It is not a diagnostic tool, and only a physician can determine the cause of your headaches.
| Feature | Tension Headache | Migraine | Possible Red Flag (See a Doctor) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pain quality | Pressing, tight, 'band around the head' | Pulsating, throbbing | Sudden, severe, 'worst ever' |
| Side | Usually both sides | Often one side | Often one side, new or worsening |
| Duration | 30 minutes to several hours | 4 to 72 hours | Persistent or progressive |
| Associated symptoms | Mild | Nausea, light/sound sensitivity, aura | Weakness, vision loss, confusion, fever, stiff neck |
| Triggered by | Stress, posture, fatigue | Hormones, foods, sleep changes, weather | Cough, exertion, position change |
| Imaging usually needed? | No | Not for typical, stable migraine | Often yes |
If your pattern is changing, if symptoms are new, or if anything in the right-hand column applies, that is a reasonable point to ask your physician about a brain MRI.
What Should You Expect During a Brain MRI at Smart Scan?
A brain MRI at Smart Scan typically takes about 20 to 45 minutes, uses a wide-bore scanner for added comfort, and produces results that are usually sent to your referring provider within 24 to 48 hours.
For patients getting a brain MRI at Smart Scan's Madison, Eau Claire, Wausau, or Milwaukee locations, here is a quick walkthrough:
- Before your scan: You will be asked to remove metal items, including jewelry, hair accessories, and certain clothing. Let the team know about any implants, pacemakers, or recent surgeries. Eating and drinking are usually fine unless contrast is planned.
- At check-in: You can change into scrubs if you prefer, and store your belongings in a secure area. The technologist will review what to expect.
- During the scan: You will lie on a padded table that slides into the wide-bore MRI. A head coil will be positioned around your head. The scan typically takes about 20 to 45 minutes, and the machine produces loud knocking sounds, so headphones or earplugs are provided.
- If contrast is used: A small IV may be placed to deliver contrast that highlights specific structures. Your team will discuss this with you in advance.
- After your scan: Most people return to normal activity immediately. Results are typically sent to your referring provider within 24 to 48 hours, and faster for urgent cases.
The wide-bore design is helpful for patients who feel uneasy in older, narrower machines, and the technologists at Smart Scan are trained to talk you through the process if you are feeling anxious.
Ready to Schedule a Brain MRI in Wisconsin?
If your headaches have changed, become more frequent, or are interfering with daily life, do not assume the answer is 'just stress.' Talk to your physician about whether a brain MRI is appropriate, and bring as much detail as you can about timing, triggers, and any new symptoms.
When advanced imaging is recommended, request an appointment at Smart Scan Medical Imaging in Eau Claire, Wausau, Madison, or Milwaukee, or call (855) 694-3300. Our team can usually schedule a brain MRI for the same or next business day.
Frequently Asked Questions
When should I get an MRI for headaches?
A brain MRI is usually considered when headaches are new, sudden, severe, changing in pattern, or accompanied by neurological symptoms such as vision changes, weakness, or confusion. New headaches after age 50, headaches that worsen with coughing or exertion, or headaches in someone with a history of cancer or immune issues are also reasons to talk to a physician about imaging. Routine, stable migraine usually does not require MRI.
Why do I keep getting headaches every day?
Daily headaches can be caused by a number of things, including chronic migraine, chronic tension-type headache, medication-overuse headache, poor sleep, stress, vision changes, or, less commonly, a secondary condition. A physician evaluation is the best way to find the underlying cause and decide whether brain imaging is needed.
How long does a brain MRI take at Smart Scan?
A typical brain MRI at Smart Scan takes about 20 to 45 minutes, depending on whether contrast is used and what your physician needs to evaluate. Your technologist will give you a more specific estimate when you arrive.
Is there a radiology center near me that handles brain MRI in Wisconsin?
Smart Scan Medical Imaging offers brain MRI at four Wisconsin locations: Eau Claire, the Wausau area (Weston), Madison (Middleton), and the Milwaukee area (Franklin). All four sites use the same advanced wide-bore MRI technology and the same group of fellowship-trained neuroradiologists.
Will an MRI definitely show what is causing my headache?
Not always. In many cases of migraine and tension-type headache, a brain MRI is normal, and that is actually useful information because it helps a physician rule out other causes. For headaches caused by structural or vascular issues, MRI can often help identify the underlying problem.
