Online Doctor's Note for a Headache

How long a typical headache lasts

Tension headaches, the most common type, can last anywhere from 30 minutes to several days, according to MedlinePlus, and may happen once, come and go, or occur daily. They’re usually caused by tight muscles in the neck, shoulders, scalp, or jaw, often tied to stress, anxiety, or depression. Other common triggers include poor sleep, skipped meals, eye strain from screens or close work, an awkward neck position while sleeping, jaw clenching or teeth grinding, smoking, overexertion, and too much or too little caffeine. Colds, flu, and sinus infections can also bring on a headache as a secondary symptom. If your headaches keep recurring in a specific pattern, throb on one side, and come with nausea or sensitivity to light and sound, that combination points more toward migraine; see our migraine note page if that sounds like you.

Signs you need urgent or emergency care, not just a note

An absence note documents that you reported a headache and were advised to rest. It isn’t an evaluation. MedlinePlus advises calling 911 for the worst headache of your life, a headache with sudden onset, or one that comes with problems speaking, seeing, moving, or keeping your balance, along with repeated vomiting or a high fever or stiff neck. It also advises scheduling a doctor’s visit (not an emergency one) if your headache pattern changes, a treatment that used to work stops working, you need pain medicine more than three days a week, the headache gets worse when you lie down, or you might be pregnant.

What the note covers

Since a headache on its own usually isn’t something a doctor can verify with a physical finding, the note simply documents that you reported the symptom and were advised to rest for the dates you needed off. It doesn’t diagnose a cause, and this service doesn’t prescribe anything for pain. If your headache turns out to be something ongoing, like migraine or a condition tied to your eyes, sleep, or stress levels, that’s worth raising with your regular doctor separately, especially if it’s happening often enough to affect your work regularly rather than as a one-off.

What to tell your employer

Most employers just need to know you were out and for how long. The note can confirm you were advised to rest without naming a specific cause, if you’d rather keep that private. If your employer wants to confirm the note is genuine, that only happens with your permission, since a doctor can’t disclose your health information to anyone else without your consent. A single headache note is meant for a short, one-off absence; if headaches are affecting your work on a recurring basis, that’s a pattern worth discussing with your regular doctor rather than something a single absence note can address.