Severe headache and inability to sleep for 2 days

Get well soon. A severe headache that disrupts sleep should be taken seriously. A few quick questions to help me guide you more accurately:

• Where is the pain intense? Is it one-sided, around the eyes, or does it feel like pressure all over the head?
• How did it start: suddenly, like a lightning bolt, or did it gradually increase?
• What is the severity on a scale of 0–10?
• Is there sensitivity to light/sound, nausea, or vomiting?
• Is there runny/congested nose, facial/toothache, or worsening when bending forward?
• Have you had a stiff neck, fever, or stiff neck?
• Is there weakness/numbness in the arms or legs, slurred speech, double/blurred vision, or dizziness or unsteadiness?
• Is there eye redness or severe eye pain?
• Have you had a recent head injury?
• Have you had your blood pressure checked?
• Have you had similar attacks before? Which painkillers and dosages have you tried today?

What you can do now (if you have no medical restrictions):

• Stay hydrated; rest in a quiet, dark room, and apply a cold or warm compress.
• Pain reliever: Paracetamol 500–1000 mg OR ibuprofen 400 mg (with food). Do not take ibuprofen if you have a stomach ulcer, kidney disease, or are taking blood thinners. Do not take two different NSAIDs (ibuprofen, naproxen, etc.) at the same time. Do not exceed the maximum daily doses (paracetamol ≤3 g/day; ibuprofen generally ≤1200 mg/day).
• If you drink caffeine, a cup of coffee or tea shortly before dinner may help relieve pain; but avoid consuming it too late at night.
• Reduce screen light, do neck and shoulder stretching exercises, and keep your room cool and dark. Breathing exercises (e.g., 4-7-8) can help you fall asleep.

Possible causes (initial assessment):

• Migraine: Possible if unilateral, throbbing, accompanied by light/sound sensitivity and nausea.
• Tension-type headache: Like a band, worsened by neck and shoulder tension.
• Sinusitis: If there is facial/toothache, runny/congested nose, and worsening when bending forward.
• Cluster headache: Severe pain around one eye, with watery eyes/runny nose, usually beginning at night; this condition requires rapid evaluation.
• Less common but significant conditions: Sudden "the worst headache of your life," meningitis, hypertensive emergency, increased intraocular pressure.

Call 112 immediately or go to the Emergency Department if you experience any of the following:

• Sudden and "the worst headache of your life" - High fever with neck stiffness, confusion/speech disturbance, weakness/numbness in arms and legs, severe dizziness or unsteadiness - Severe eye pain with redness and vision loss - Pain that begins after a head injury - Very high measured blood pressure (e.g., ≥180/120 mmHg) accompanied by headache, chest pain, shortness of breath, or neurological findings. If, despite these recommendations, there is no significant improvement within 24–48 hours, or the pain continues to prevent you from sleeping, seek an examination by a neurologist or family physician. If sinusitis symptoms predominate, an ear, nose, and throat evaluation is appropriate.

Can you answer the questions? I will provide more detailed guidance based on your answers.

I am not a doctor, and this is not a medical diagnosis.