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| URL | https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/tension-headaches/ |
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| Meta Title | Tension headaches - NHS |
| Meta Description | Find out about tension headaches, including the symptoms, causes, treatments, prevention and when to get medical help. |
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| Boilerpipe Text | Symptoms of 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.
Find out about other types of headaches
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.
Do
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
Don’t
do not have drinks with caffeine in them like tea, coffee or cola - or try to cut down on them
A pharmacist can help with headaches
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
Find a pharmacy
Non-urgent advice:
See a GP if:
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
.
Urgent advice:
Get an urgent GP appointment or call 111 if:
You or your child have a severe headache and:
jaw pain when eating
blurred or double vision
a sore scalp
other symptoms, such as numbness or weakness in the arms or legs
Also get an urgent GP appointment or call 111 if your child is under 12 years old and has any of the following:
a headache that wakes them at night
a headache when they wake up in the morning
a headache that gets progressively worse
a headache triggered or made worse by coughing, sneezing or bending down
a headache with vomiting
a headache with a
squint
(where the eyes point in different directions) or an inability to look upward
You can call 111 or
get help from 111 online
.
Immediate action required:
Call 999 or go to A&E if you or your child:
have a head injury – for example, from a fall or accident
have a headache that came on suddenly and is extremely painful
You or your child have an extremely painful headache and:
sudden problems speaking or remembering things
loss of vision
feel drowsy or confused
a very high temperature and
symptoms of meningitis
the white part of the eye is red
Also call 999 or go to A&E if your child is under 12 years old and has any of the following:
a headache with vision problems or difficulty speaking, swallowing, balancing or walking
a headache with drowsiness or a persistent lack of energy
a headache that starts within 5 days of a head injury
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
An antidepressant medicine called
amitriptyline
is sometimes recommended to help prevent tension headaches.
You'll be prescribed a low-dose to start with, which may be increased later. You usually need to take the medicine for several months before it starts working.
Page last reviewed: 01 August 2025
Next review due: 01 August 2028 |
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# Tension headaches
Tension headaches are very common and many people get them. You can treat them yourself with painkillers but see a GP if you have several headaches a week or they're severe.
## Symptoms of 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.
[Find out about other types of headaches](https://www.nhs.uk/symptoms/headaches/)
## 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.
### Do
- use painkillers like [paracetamol](https://www.nhs.uk/medicines/paracetamol-for-adults-old/), [aspirin](https://www.nhs.uk/medicines/aspirin-for-pain-relief/) and [ibuprofen](https://www.nhs.uk/medicines/ibuprofen-for-adults/) – 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](https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/insomnia/) may be causing your headaches
- try using a low, firm pillow and heat or cold packs if you have [neck pain](https://www.nhs.uk/symptoms/neck-pain-and-stiff-neck/) and headaches
### Don’t
- do not have drinks with caffeine in them like tea, coffee or cola - or try to cut down on them
## A pharmacist can help with headaches
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
[Find a pharmacy](https://www.nhs.uk/service-search/pharmacy/find-a-pharmacy)
Information:
[Find out more about headaches in pregnancy](https://www.nhs.uk/pregnancy/common-symptoms/headaches/)
## Non-urgent advice: See a GP if:
- 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](https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/migraine/) or [cluster headache](https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/cluster-headaches/).
## Urgent advice: Get an urgent GP appointment or call 111 if:
You or your child have a severe headache and:
- jaw pain when eating
- blurred or double vision
- a sore scalp
- other symptoms, such as numbness or weakness in the arms or legs
Also get an urgent GP appointment or call 111 if your child is under 12 years old and has any of the following:
- a headache that wakes them at night
- a headache when they wake up in the morning
- a headache that gets progressively worse
- a headache triggered or made worse by coughing, sneezing or bending down
- a headache with vomiting
- a headache with a [squint](https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/squint/) (where the eyes point in different directions) or an inability to look upward
You can call 111 or [get help from 111 online](https://111.nhs.uk/triage/check-your-symptoms).
## Immediate action required: Call 999 or go to A\&E if you or your child:
- have a head injury – for example, from a fall or accident
- have a headache that came on suddenly and is extremely painful
You or your child have an extremely painful headache and:
- sudden problems speaking or remembering things
- loss of vision
- feel drowsy or confused
- a very high temperature and [symptoms of meningitis](https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/meningitis/symptoms/)
- the white part of the eye is red
Also call 999 or go to A\&E if your child is under 12 years old and has any of the following:
- a headache with vision problems or difficulty speaking, swallowing, balancing or walking
- a headache with drowsiness or a persistent lack of energy
- a headache that starts within 5 days of a head injury
## 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
An antidepressant medicine called [amitriptyline](https://www.nhs.uk/medicines/amitriptyline-for-pain/) is sometimes recommended to help prevent tension headaches.
You'll be prescribed a low-dose to start with, which may be increased later. You usually need to take the medicine for several months before it starts working.
Page last reviewed: 01 August 2025
Next review due: 01 August 2028
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© Crown copyright |
| Readable Markdown | ## Symptoms of 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.
[Find out about other types of headaches](https://www.nhs.uk/symptoms/headaches/)
## 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.
### Do
- use painkillers like [paracetamol](https://www.nhs.uk/medicines/paracetamol-for-adults-old/), [aspirin](https://www.nhs.uk/medicines/aspirin-for-pain-relief/) and [ibuprofen](https://www.nhs.uk/medicines/ibuprofen-for-adults/) – 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](https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/insomnia/) may be causing your headaches
- try using a low, firm pillow and heat or cold packs if you have [neck pain](https://www.nhs.uk/symptoms/neck-pain-and-stiff-neck/) and headaches
### Don’t
- do not have drinks with caffeine in them like tea, coffee or cola - or try to cut down on them
## A pharmacist can help with headaches
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
[Find a pharmacy](https://www.nhs.uk/service-search/pharmacy/find-a-pharmacy)
## Non-urgent advice: See a GP if:
- 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](https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/migraine/) or [cluster headache](https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/cluster-headaches/).
## Urgent advice: Get an urgent GP appointment or call 111 if:
You or your child have a severe headache and:
- jaw pain when eating
- blurred or double vision
- a sore scalp
- other symptoms, such as numbness or weakness in the arms or legs
Also get an urgent GP appointment or call 111 if your child is under 12 years old and has any of the following:
- a headache that wakes them at night
- a headache when they wake up in the morning
- a headache that gets progressively worse
- a headache triggered or made worse by coughing, sneezing or bending down
- a headache with vomiting
- a headache with a [squint](https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/squint/) (where the eyes point in different directions) or an inability to look upward
You can call 111 or [get help from 111 online](https://111.nhs.uk/triage/check-your-symptoms).
## Immediate action required: Call 999 or go to A\&E if you or your child:
- have a head injury – for example, from a fall or accident
- have a headache that came on suddenly and is extremely painful
You or your child have an extremely painful headache and:
- sudden problems speaking or remembering things
- loss of vision
- feel drowsy or confused
- a very high temperature and [symptoms of meningitis](https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/meningitis/symptoms/)
- the white part of the eye is red
Also call 999 or go to A\&E if your child is under 12 years old and has any of the following:
- a headache with vision problems or difficulty speaking, swallowing, balancing or walking
- a headache with drowsiness or a persistent lack of energy
- a headache that starts within 5 days of a head injury
## 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
An antidepressant medicine called [amitriptyline](https://www.nhs.uk/medicines/amitriptyline-for-pain/) is sometimes recommended to help prevent tension headaches.
You'll be prescribed a low-dose to start with, which may be increased later. You usually need to take the medicine for several months before it starts working.
Page last reviewed: 01 August 2025
Next review due: 01 August 2028 |
| Shard | 75 (laksa) |
| Root Hash | 11359509702434384875 |
| Unparsed URL | uk,nhs,www!/conditions/tension-headaches/ s443 |