Thunderclap headache

What it means

Severe head pain with sudden onset, reaching its maximum intensity in less than one minute and lasting from one hour to ten days.

The differential diagnosis of thunderclap headache (TCH) includes subarachnoid hemorrhage, ischemic stroke, cerebral venous thrombosis, cervical arterial dissection, acute hypertensive crisis, retroclival hematoma, pituitary apoplexy, and pheochromocytoma.

Rare diseases that can present with this5

The range is how often this sign appears among people diagnosed with each disease — it is not a probability of having any of them. Many of these signs also occur in common, non-rare conditions. A sign on this page is a conversation to have with a clinician, not a conclusion.

Part of the broader category