Table 2 Headache characteristics during COVID infection
| Â | n (%) |
|---|---|
Had headache before COVID infection | |
 No | 205 (46.7%) |
 Yes | 234 (53.3%) |
Type of headache before COVID-19 | |
 Migraine | 69 (29.5%) |
 Clusters | 14 (6.0%) |
 Trigeminal neuralgia | 4 (1.7%) |
 Slight intermittent pain (tension) | 147 (62.8%) |
Headache initiation after infection | |
 First 2 days | 233 (53.1%) |
 Third to 7th day | 149 (33.9%) |
 Eight to fourteen days | 38 (8.7%) |
 Fourteen days to 2 months | 19 (4.3%) |
Headache severity | |
 1–3 | 59 (13.4%) |
 4–6 | 167 (38.0%) |
 7–9 | 166 (37.8%) |
 10 | 47 (10.7%) |
Analgesic consumption | |
 No | 27 (6.2%) |
 Yes | 412 (93.8%) |
 Paracetamol | 266 (64.6%) |
 NSAID or equivalent | 35 (8.5%) |
 Paracetamol and NSAID | 111 (26.9%) |
Effectiveness of analgesics | |
 Complete pain relief | 144 (35.0%) |
 Partial pain relief | 226 (54.9%) |
 No pain relief | 42 (10.2%) |
Headache very severe needed ED | |
 No | 405 (92.3%) |
 Yes | 34 (7.7%) |
Headache led to consulting a physician | |
 No | 310 (70.6%) |
 Yes | 129 (29.4%) |
Headache was one of three annoying symptoms during COVID infection | |
 No | 89 (20.3%) |
 Yes | 350 (79.7%) |
Headache location | |
 Half | 67 (15.3%) |
 Diffuse | 214 (48.7%) |
 From front | 131 (29.8%) |
 From back | 27 (6.2%) |
Headache characteristics | |
 Pressure in head | 338 (77.0%) |
 Beating | 46 (10.5%) |
 Burning | 21 (4.8%) |
 Stabbing | 34 (7.7%) |
Headache duration | |
 Less than 3 h | 140 (31.9%) |
 3–12 h | 111 (25.3%) |
 12–24 h | 20 (4.6%) |
 1–2 days | 54 (12.3%) |
 3–7 days | 68 (15.5%) |
 More than 7 days | 46 (10.5%) |
Headache accompanied with other symptoms | |
 No | 75 (17.1%) |
 Yes | 364 (82.9%) |
 Nausea and/or vomiting | 152 (41.8%) |
 Noise intolerance | 169 (46.4%) |
 Light intolerance | 128 (35.2%) |
 Neck pain | 135 (37.1%) |
 Eye pain | 115 (31.6%) |
Headache increased | |
 No | 155 (35.3%) |
 Yes | 284 (64.7%) |
Headache increased with | |
 Fever | 116 (40.8%) |
 Cough | 115 (40.5%) |
 Regular movement | 129 (45.4%) |
Other symptoms | |
 No | 19 (4.3%) |
 Yes | 420 (95.7%) |
 Myalgia | 349 (83.1%) |
 Gastrointestinal symptoms | 156 (37.1%) |
 Loss of taste and smell | 287 (68.3%) |
 Loss of consciousness | 52 (12.4%) |
 Nerve injury | 29 (6.9%) |
COVID severity | |
 Did not need oxygen | 392 (89.3%) |
 Needed oxygen at home | 17 (3.9%) |
 ED admission | 21 (4.8%) |
 Hospital admission | 7 (1.6%) |
 ICU admission | 2 (0.5%) |
Headache treatment other than analgesics | |
 No | 368 (83.8%) |
 Yes | 71 (16.2%) |
Headache before COVID changed during or after infection | |
 No | 187 (57.4%) |
 Yes | 139 (42.6%) |
 Type changed | 51 (36.7%) |
 Increased severity | 69 (49.6%) |
 Increased duration | 40 (28.8%) |
 Response to analgesic consumption changed | 29 (20.9%) |
 Increased episodes | 41 (29.5%) |
Took treatment other than analgesics before COVID | |
 No | 397 (90.4%) |
 Yes | 42 (9.6%) |
 Stopped during COVID infection | 25 (65.8%) |
 Stopped after COVID infection | 13 (34.2%) |
Family history of headache | |
 No | 234 (53.3%) |
 Yes | 205 (46.7%) |