Experiences with
Tension headaches

Check if it's a tension headache

Common symptoms of tension headaches include:

pain on both sides of your head, face or neck
feeling like something is pressing on your head or being tightened around it
the affected area may feel tender and your head may hurt more when touched

You should be able to continue doing daily activities without making the headache worse.

Tension headaches last at least 30 minutes but they can last much longer, sometimes for several days.

Causes of tension headaches

Common causes of tension headaches include:

stress
sleep problems
caffeine

Taking painkillers for headaches too often or for a long time can also cause headaches. These are known as overuse or rebound headaches.

Tension headaches are not a sign of an underlying condition.

How to ease a tension headache

There are some things you can do to treat a tension headache yourself.

use painkillers like paracetamol, aspirin and ibuprofen – paracetamol is the first choice of painkiller if you're pregnant, and children under 16 should not take aspirin
try doing activities to help you relax like exercise, yoga and massage
try changing your sleeping habits if sleep problems like insomnia may be causing your headaches
try using a low, firm pillow and heat or cold packs if you have neck pain and headaches
try to stay at home and avoid contact with other people if you have a high temperature or you do not feel well enough to do your normal activities

do not have, or cut down on, drinks with caffeine in them like tea, coffee or cola

You can ask a pharmacist about:

the best painkiller to take, if you're not sure which is suitable for you
what to do if you're pregnant – some medicines (like ibuprofen) are not recommended in pregnancy
medicines for sleep problems like insomnia if you're having trouble sleeping and you think it may be causing your headaches

you get headaches several times a week or they're severe
painkillers and activities to help you relax do not help your headaches
you have a throbbing pain at the front or on 1 side of your head
you feel sick, vomit and find light or noise painful

These can be signs of a different type of headache, such as a migraine or cluster headache .

What we mean by severe pain

Severe pain:: always there and so bad it's hard to think or talk

you cannot sleep

it's very hard to move, get out of bed, go to the bathroom, wash or dress
Moderate pain:: always there

makes it hard to concentrate or sleep

you can manage to get up, wash or dress
Mild pain:: comes and goes

is annoying but does not stop you doing daily activities

What happens at your GP appointment

If you have regular tension headaches, a GP may suggest you keep a headache diary to record details of your headaches like:

how often you get them and how long they last
how painful they are and any other symptoms you have
possible causes
any medicines you take to help

The GP may advise you about taking painkillers for tension headaches, such as when to take medicine and how often you should take it.

You may be referred to a specialist if painkillers and activities like exercise do not help reduce your headaches or if it's not clear what's causing them.

Preventing tension headaches

If you get tension headaches regularly, you may be offered a course of acupuncture.

An antidepressant medicine called amitriptyline is also sometimes recommended to help prevent tension headaches.

You'll be prescribed a low-dose to start with, which may later be increased. The medicine usually needs to be taken for several months before it starts working.

SymptomsSelf-careCauses

The main symptom of a tension headache is pain on both sides of your head, face or neck. They last at least 30 minutes but can last much longer.

Things you can do to ease a tension headache include relaxing activities like exercise and massage, taking painkillers and cutting down on caffeine.

Stress is a common cause of tension headaches. Other possible causes include sleep problems and caffeine.