This is an interesting topic for discussion. You might have read the article I posted in the Medicolegal section of our Forum - where I mentioned about the case of a 40 year old woman who died of subarachnoid hemorrhage after she had been seen by several doctors who missed the diagnosis.
viewtopic.php?f=32&t=933Subarachnoid hemorrhage is when bleeding occurs into the subarachnoid space around the brain and spinal cord. This space is normally occupied by cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). The hemorrhage can occur with head trauma or rupture of an intracranial aneurysm.
Radiological investigation has now become essential to rule out or to determine the prognosis in subarachnoid hemorrhage. CT scan with angiography is used in most hospitals when SH is suspected. If CT is negative a spinal tap is done to check for blood in the CSF. I am informed that there are more advanced tests now using the MRI to check for a hemorrhage which is minor (or minimal).
Now the question is how long do you wait for a severe headache to settle (after you have taken the usual analgesic) before you seek medical advice. When do the emergency physicians decide that the headache could be something more serious than migraine.