Numerous disorders are associated with headaches. MedlinePlus states that a person should seek medical help if a headache is accompanied by a stiff neck, fever, loss of consciousness, confusion and pain in the eye or ear. Although serious causes of headaches are uncommon, sometimes headaches signal an underlying disorder or pathology.
Hypertension
Hypertension or prolonged, elevated blood pressure can cause headaches. According to the National Headache Foundation---an organization dedicated to enhancing the health care of all headache sufferers---hypertension can cause hypertension headaches, although elevated blood pressure is usually not responsible for recurring headaches. The NHF states that a person's blood pressure needs to be significantly elevated to cause a headache. In fact, blood pressures of 200/110 mm Hg or higher may be necessary to cause a headache.
Temporal Arteritis
Temporal arteritis can cause headaches. The Mayo Clinic website states temporal arteritis, also known as giant cell arteritis, is an inflammation of the inner lining of a person's arteries---blood vessels that transport oxygenated blood from the heart to the tissues and organs. Temporal arteritis usually targets the arteries in a person's head, especially the temporal arteries, which are located in the temple region of the skull. Common temporal arteritis-related signs and symptoms include the following: jaw pain, impaired vision, fever, unintentional weight loss and scalp tenderness. According to the Mayo Clinic website, the most common symptoms associated with temporal arteritis are headaches and severe tenderness in the temples. In some cases, temporal arteritis can cause blindness and stroke. The arterial inflammation that characterizes temporal arteritis may affect only a portion of an artery, with sections of healthy vessel between affected areas.
SARS
Severe acute respiratory syndrome, or SARS, can cause headaches. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, SARS is a viral respiratory illness caused by a coronavirus. The coronavirus is known as SARS-associated coronavirus, or SARS-CoV. SARS is characterized by a dry, nonproductive cough and dyspnea, or shortness of breath. Other signs and symptoms associated with SARS include the following: fever, chills, headaches, general feelings of discomfort and aches throughout the body. The CDC states that fever is usually the first symptom to manifest and that some people experience mild respiratory symptoms in the early stages of SARS. Approximately 10 to 20 percent of people with SARS have diarrhea, notes the CDC. SARS can cause hypoxia, or low blood oxygen levels, in some people, along with pneumonia. According to the CDC, SARS is spread by respiratory droplets sent into the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes.
