--- title: "Which blood tests should you get for frequent headaches?" type: symptom url: "https://www.test-well.com/symptoms/headaches" symptom: Headaches aliases: - blood test for headaches - frequent headaches blood work - migraine blood tests - headache lab tests reviewed_at: 2026-09-06 review_status: reviewed date_published: 2026-09-07 lab_fee_usd: 6 --- # Which blood tests should you get for frequent headaches? > Most headaches are migraine or tension-type and no blood test diagnoses them, but labs catch the treatable contributors: anemia, thyroid disease, dehydration and electrolyte shifts, low vitamin D or B12, high blood sugar, and — in adults over 50 with a new headache — inflammation (ESR/CRP). Sudden severe or 'worst ever' headache is an emergency, not a lab order. ## When should you see a clinician instead of ordering a test? - Sudden, severe 'thunderclap' headache — call 911 - Headache with fever and stiff neck, confusion, weakness, slurred speech or vision loss - Headache after a head injury, or one that wakes you from sleep and is worse lying down - New headache over age 50 with jaw pain when chewing or scalp tenderness — same-day care - Headaches that are steadily getting worse over weeks ## Why these tests for headaches? A CBC finds anemia, a common and correctable cause of daily headaches and fatigue. A metabolic panel checks sodium, calcium, glucose and kidney function — dehydration and blood-sugar swings are frequent headache triggers. TSH screens for thyroid dysfunction, which raises headache frequency in both directions. Vitamin D, B12 and magnesium are the nutrient levels most often low in people with chronic headache; magnesium in particular is studied as a migraine contributor. In anyone over 50 with a new or different headache, ESR and CRP screen for giant cell arteritis — an inflammatory condition that needs same-week treatment to protect vision. ## Which conditions do these tests help evaluate? - [Anemia](https://www.test-well.com/conditions/anemia) — CBC, iron studies, ferritin, B12 and folate to find the cause of fatigue and low energy. - [Thyroid Problems](https://www.test-well.com/conditions/thyroid-problems) — TSH, Free T4/T3 and antibodies to evaluate an under- or over-active thyroid. - [Brain Fog](https://www.test-well.com/conditions/brain-fog) — Thyroid, B12, vitamin D and metabolic markers when thinking feels cloudy. ## Which tests, and what do they cost? | Test or panel | Type | Price | All-in (one item + $6 fee) | Fasting | Results | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | [General Wellness Panel](https://www.test-well.com/tests/general-wellness-panel) | Panel (4 tests) | $89.99 | $95.99 | Yes | 1–3 business days | | [Baseline Anemia Panel](https://www.test-well.com/tests/anemia-panel) | Panel (5 tests) | $74.99 | $80.99 | Yes | 2–4 business days | | [Complete Thyroid Panel](https://www.test-well.com/tests/thyroid-complete-panel) | Panel (4 tests) | $109.99 | $115.99 | No | 3–7 business days | | [CBC with Differential](https://www.test-well.com/tests/cbc-with-differential) | Test | $21.99 | $27.99 | No | 1–3 business days | | [Comprehensive Metabolic Panel](https://www.test-well.com/tests/comprehensive-metabolic-panel) | Test | $22.99 | $28.99 | Yes | 1–3 business days | | [TSH (Thyroid Stimulating Hormone)](https://www.test-well.com/tests/tsh) | Test | $26.99 | $32.99 | No | 1–3 business days | | [Vitamin D, 25-Hydroxy](https://www.test-well.com/tests/vitamin-d) | Test | $41.99 | $47.99 | No | 1–3 business days | | [Vitamin B12](https://www.test-well.com/tests/vitamin-b12) | Test | $25.99 | $31.99 | No | 2–4 business days | | [Magnesium](https://www.test-well.com/tests/magnesium) | Test | $19.99 | $25.99 | No | 2–4 business days | | [Body Inflammation Test (ESR)](https://www.test-well.com/tests/sed-rate) | Test | $18.99 | $24.99 | No | 2–4 business days | | [C-Reactive Protein (CRP)](https://www.test-well.com/tests/crp) | Test | $26.99 | $32.99 | No | 2–4 business days | | [Hemoglobin A1c](https://www.test-well.com/tests/hemoglobin-a1c) | Test | $21.99 | $27.99 | No | 2–4 business days | Prices are cash-pay; every order adds one $6.00 lab processing fee. Physician authorization included. ## Common questions ### Can a blood test diagnose migraine? No. Migraine is diagnosed from the history and examination. Blood tests rule out contributors and mimics — anemia, thyroid disease, inflammation — so the migraine plan isn't fighting a second problem. ### Do I need a brain scan for headaches? Most people don't. Imaging is for red-flag features — sudden onset, neurological symptoms, a changing pattern, or a new headache after 50. A clinician decides; no lab result replaces that assessment. ### Which vitamin deficiency causes headaches? Low vitamin D, B12 and magnesium are the ones most consistently linked to chronic headache and migraine frequency. Correcting a documented deficiency is low-risk; supplementing blindly is not the same thing. ## Related - [What blood tests should you get for fatigue?](https://www.test-well.com/symptoms/fatigue) - [Which blood tests help explain brain fog?](https://www.test-well.com/symptoms/brain-fog) - [What blood tests should you get for hair loss?](https://www.test-well.com/symptoms/hair-loss) - [What blood tests check for causes of unexplained weight gain?](https://www.test-well.com/symptoms/weight-gain) - [All symptoms](https://www.test-well.com/symptoms) - [Browse by condition](https://www.test-well.com/conditions) ## Sources - [American Migraine Foundation — When to seek emergency care for headache](https://americanmigrainefoundation.org/resource-library/when-to-worry-about-a-headache/) - [American College of Rheumatology — Giant cell arteritis](https://rheumatology.org/patients/giant-cell-arteritis) - [NIH ODS — Magnesium fact sheet (migraine)](https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Magnesium-HealthProfessional/) --- Medically reviewed by Youmna DiStefano, MD (Medical Reviewer, TestWell); last reviewed 2026-09-06. Review policy: https://www.test-well.com/editorial-policy Canonical page: https://www.test-well.com/symptoms/headaches Machine-readable catalog: https://www.test-well.com/api/catalog.json · MCP server: https://www.test-well.com/mcp · Overview for agents: https://www.test-well.com/llms.txt Prices are cash-pay, in USD, and include physician authorization; every order adds one flat $6 lab processing fee. Educational content is not a diagnosis — discuss results with a clinician.