'Have a Headache' or 'Have Headache'. Which is Correct?
We say the expression “have a headache” to refer to a continuous pain in the head. The expressions “have headache” and “having a headache” are incorrect.
We use the expression “have a headache” (with the article "a") to refer to a continuous pain in the head.
If you have a headache, you should stay home.
The constructions "have headache” and “having a headache” are incorrect.
If you have headache, you should stay home.
If you are having a headache, you should stay home.
Follow the same strategy when using other related expressions, such as “get a headache”, “experience a headache”, “cause a headache”, etc.
She got a headache after drinking too much.
Most people experience a headache at least once in their lives.
Contents
1. Why Do We Need a Determiner before ‘Headache’?
Since it can be counted, the word headache is countable noun in English.
I had two terrible headaches last week.
When a countable noun is singular, it takes an article (a, an, or the) or another determiner (my, your, this, that, etc.).
I had a headache yesterday.
The headache was caused by eyesight problems.
How can my headache be managed?
A partial list of other symptom names that take a/an:
- Allergy
- Backache (The article can be omitted in British English.)
- Cold
- Cough
- Cramp/Muscle Cramp (The article can be omitted in British English.)
- Earache (The article can be omitted in British English.)
- Fever (The article can be omitted in British English.)
- Heart attack
- Runny nose
- Sore throat
- Stomachache (The article can be omitted in British English.)
- Stroke
- Toothache (The article can be omitted in British English.)
2. How to Use the Plural Form (Headaches)
The word headache is commonly used in its singular form because people have only a headache at a time. However, it also has a plural form.
Many headaches are caused by stress and lack of sleep.
When referring to a specific group, plural countable nouns (like headache) should be preceded by a number (two, five, etc.), a quantifier (some, many, etc.), an identifier (this, that, etc.), or a possessive pronoun (my, your, his, her, etc.).
These should help with the headaches that you’ve been experiencing.
You can also use “headaches” in a general sense. In this situation, countable nouns, including symptom nouns, take no article.
Headaches can be one of the early warning signs of a more serious condition.
A wide variety of medicines can cause headaches.
3. Headache as a Synonym of Problem
The noun “headache” can also be used, as a synonym of problem, to describe a thing or person that causes difficulty a worry.
This can create an administrative headache for market participants.
Meetings had become a major headache for us.
