Each card covers what the pain commonly feels like, which patterns are often reported there, and what else to look for. Click through to the 3D tool to mark the exact position and how deep it feels.
1
Forehead headache
Front of the head, above the eyebrows — often a band across both sides
A steady, non-pulsing pressure across the forehead is one of the most common descriptions of a tension-type pattern. It often builds through a long working day, after poor sleep, or during periods of stress, and may come with tightness in the scalp, jaw or neck. Screen use and uncorrected vision problems can add a frontal ache that fades after rest.
Forehead pain can also be part of a sinus problem, though true sinus headache usually comes with congestion, fever or discoloured discharge and worsens when you bend forward. When the pain throbs, sits on one side, or arrives with nausea and light sensitivity, migraine is a more likely fit than sinus disease.
Mark a frontal band on the 3D head map · Compare patterns in the headache chart by type.
2
Temple headache
Either side of the head, between the eye and the ear
Temple pain is often described as pressing or squeezing when it comes with a tension-type headache, and as pulsing or throbbing during a migraine attack. Because the temporalis muscle sits here, jaw clenching, teeth grinding, stress and chewing can produce a sore, aching temple that worsens through the day.
New temple tenderness after age 50 — especially with scalp pain when brushing hair, jaw pain when chewing, or vision changes — is different from ordinary temple headache and needs prompt medical review. A fixed, worsening one-sided temple pain should also be assessed rather than tracked as a usual pattern.
Use the left or right camera preset to place a temple marker · See types of headaches by location.
3
Headache behind the eyes
Deep behind or around one eye, sometimes spreading to the temple
Severe, drilling pain centred behind one eye is the hallmark of cluster headache: attacks typically last 15 minutes to 3 hours, recur at similar times, and come with tearing, a red or watery eye, a blocked nostril and an inability to sit still. The pain stays strictly on the same side during a bout.
Migraine can also sit behind one eye, usually with throbbing, nausea and sensitivity to light or sound, and the side may change between attacks. Eye strain and sinus pressure produce a duller, more diffuse discomfort. Pain with blurred vision, haloes around lights, vomiting or a red eye needs urgent assessment rather than a chart entry.
Place a deep marker with the X-ray view · Record accompanying symptoms in a headache diary chart.
4
Sinus headache location (cheeks, nose & brow)
Cheeks, bridge of the nose, between the eyes and lower forehead
Sinus pain is a sense of fullness or deep pressure in the face rather than a sharp headache. It is usually symmetrical or clearly over one sinus, gets worse when leaning forward or pressing on the cheeks, and comes with nasal congestion, thick or discoloured discharge, fever or a reduced sense of smell. Tenderness over the cheekbones is common.
Studies repeatedly find that people who self-diagnose recurring "sinus headaches" often have migraine instead: migraine can cause facial pressure, nasal congestion and tearing, and it does not respond to sinus treatment. Recurring facial pain without fever or persistent congestion is worth discussing with a clinician.
Mark cheek and brow points on the front view · See the sinus vs migraine comparison.
5
Top-of-head headache (crown)
The crown or vertex, sometimes spreading down towards the forehead
Pain on top of the head is often described as a heavy weight, a cap of pressure, or a squeezing sensation rather than a throb. It frequently accompanies a tension-type pattern, long hours at a desk, poor sleep, dehydration or tight neck and scalp muscles. Some people notice a tender spot on the scalp itself.
Less commonly, crown pain is part of a migraine attack or referred nerve pain from the neck. Because the crown is an unusual isolated location, note whether the pain is new, whether it stays in exactly the same place, and whether it comes with any neurological change — those details matter more than the spot itself.
Use the top camera preset to mark the crown · Add the episode to a printable chart.
6
Headache in the back of the head & neck
Base of the skull, occiput and upper neck, often rising over the back of the scalp
An ache that starts in the neck and spreads forwards over the back of the head often reflects muscle tension, posture, or a cervicogenic headache — a headache referred from structures in the neck. It is frequently one-sided, worse after holding a fixed posture, and changes with neck movement. Stiffness and reduced range of motion are useful clues to record.
Occipital neuralgia is different: brief, sharp, shooting or electric shocks from the base of the skull over the scalp, often with tenderness over the nerve. Both patterns are easy to confuse with migraine, which commonly includes neck pain; tracking what starts first and what comes with it helps a clinician untangle them.
Rotate to the back view · Compare with cervicogenic and other secondary headaches.
7
One-sided headache (left or right)
One half of the head — temple, eye, forehead or back of the head
Unilateral pain is a well-known migraine feature, but it is not required for migraine and it does not confirm one. Attacks can switch sides, and many people have both-sided migraine. What makes a one-sided pattern more informative is consistency: does it always return to the same place, how long does it last, and does nausea, aura or light sensitivity come with it?
Cluster headache is strictly one-sided during a bout; trigeminal neuralgia produces brief one-sided facial shocks. A headache that is always in exactly the same spot, steadily intensifies over weeks, or arrives with new weakness, numbness or vision change should be assessed rather than logged as a familiar pattern.
Record the side on every chart entry · Use the left and right presets to keep sides consistent.
8
Whole-head headache
Diffuse, all-over pressure with no single clear centre
A dull, whole-head ache that is hard to localise is common with a tension-type pattern, dehydration, caffeine withdrawal, a missed meal, poor sleep, a viral illness or medication-overuse (rebound) headache. It tends to be steady rather than throbbing, and often builds gradually instead of arriving in a sudden peak.
Because there is no single point to mark, note the areas where it is strongest (often the forehead or both temples) and whether it changes when you stand, bend or move. If pain relievers are needed more than two or three days a week, or if a diffuse headache is suddenly far worse than usual, seek medical advice rather than simply extending the diary.
Mark the strongest areas on the 3D head · Track medication days in a headache chart.
