Tension Headache Relief: What Helps and When to Get Checked

It's mid-afternoon, and the familiar band is tightening around your head again. Your shoulders are up near your ears, and your neck feels like concrete. You want relief now, and you'd like fewer of these days ahead. Here's what helps, and when it's time to get checked.

What is a tension headache?

A tension headache is a very common type of headache, and it often feels like a tight band around your head. According to Mayo Clinic¹, it causes mild to moderate pain. Common symptoms include:

• Dull, aching head pain
• Tightness or pressure across the forehead, or on the sides and back of the head
• Tender scalp, neck, and shoulder muscles

Tension headaches can last from 30 minutes to a week¹. They're called chronic when they happen on 15 or more days a month for at least three months¹. Stress is the most commonly reported trigger¹.

Tension headaches are different from migraines. Throbbing pain on one side, nausea, or pain from light and noise can point to migraine instead⁴. Learn more on our headaches and migraines page, or read migraine vs. tension headache.

What gives tension headache relief right now?

Heat or cold, gentle muscle work, and a few minutes of calm breathing help many people. Try one or two of these when a headache starts.

Heat or cold

According to Mayo Clinic², heat or cold can ease a tension headache. For heat, try a heating pad on low, a warm compress, or a hot shower. For cold, use an ice pack or a bag of frozen vegetables. Wrap either one to protect your skin. NHS guidance⁴ suggests heat or cold packs when neck pain comes with your headaches.

Massage

Massage can ease stress and loosen tight muscles in the back of the head, neck, and shoulders. According to Mayo Clinic², it may relieve headache pain for some people. Even a few minutes of gently rubbing the base of your skull can help. Read what the research says about massage for headaches.

Deep breathing and relaxation

Deep breathing, biofeedback, and other relaxation methods can help you cope with tension headaches². Try slow breaths in through your nose and out through your mouth for a few minutes. Let your shoulders drop on each breath out.

Pain relievers

According to Mayo Clinic², over-the-counter pain relievers are usually the first choice for headache pain. Follow the label, or ask a pharmacist which one fits you. That matters most if you're pregnant, take other medicines, or have other health conditions. NHS guidance⁴ notes that some pain relievers aren't recommended in pregnancy or for children.

How do you use pain relievers without causing rebound headaches?

Use them only now and then, and talk to your doctor if you need them often. Taking headache medicine too often can cause another headache, called a medication overuse headache or rebound headache^2,3.

According to Mayo Clinic³, taking pain relievers more than a couple of days a week may lead to rebound headaches. Signs include headaches nearly every day, often waking you from sleep. The pain eases with medicine, then returns as the medicine wears off³.

Mayo Clinic³ advises contacting a healthcare professional if you need headache medicine more than twice a week. A headache diary can help you see how often you're reaching for the bottle³. Learn more about rebound headaches and how to break the cycle with your doctor's help.

What habits help prevent tension headaches?

Managing stress, moving more, and protecting your sleep can mean fewer tension headaches. Small changes add up.

• Plan for stress. Mayo Clinic² suggests planning ahead, organizing your day, and making time to relax. See our guide to stress headaches.
• Mind your posture. Good posture helps keep your muscles from tensing². Standing, keep your shoulders back and your head level. Sitting, keep your thighs parallel to the floor and your head upright².
• Take screen breaks. Long hours at a desk keep the same neck muscles working nonstop. These tips help with headaches from computer work.
• Stay active. Exercise, yoga, and massage can help you relax, according to NHS guidance⁴.
• Sleep well. If poor sleep may be feeding your headaches, change your sleep habits. NHS guidance⁴ notes that a low, firm pillow may help.
• Cut back on caffeine. NHS guidance⁴ suggests avoiding or reducing tea, coffee, and cola.
• Keep a headache diary. Track when headaches start, what you were doing, and what helped. Here's how to keep a headache diary.

Milwaukee winters add their own strain. Hunching against the cold, shoveling, and long commutes on slick roads can all tighten your shoulders. Build in a few minutes to loosen up afterward.

Can chiropractic care or neck exercises help tension headaches?

They may help, especially when tight neck and shoulder muscles play a part. The research supports exercise most strongly. Hands-on care fits best as part of a broader plan.

A care guideline for persistent headaches with neck pain reviewed the research on drug-free care⁵. For tension-type headaches, it recommends gentle, low-load exercises for the deep neck and shoulder blade muscles⁵. For chronic tension headaches, it also supports general exercise, massage, or a combined plan⁵. That combined plan includes gentle joint movement, neck exercises, and posture work⁵.

The same guideline advises against using neck adjustments as the only treatment for tension headaches⁵. So a good plan goes beyond adjustments. Your doctor talks through gentle joint movement, gentle muscle work, exercises, and habits that fit your days. You decide what's right for you. Our guide to neck exercises for headaches is a good place to start.

Sometimes a headache that seems like tension starts in a stiff neck joint instead. Learn the signs of a cervicogenic headache. Massage therapy is available at our Hales Corners and Oconomowoc clinics.

When should you get checked for a tension headache?

Get checked if you need pain relievers more than twice a week, or if headaches disrupt your life¹. NHS guidance⁴ also recommends a visit for headaches several times a week or severe headaches. The same goes if pain relievers and relaxation don't help⁴.

Some headache patterns point to something other than tension. Throbbing pain on one side, nausea, or pain from light or noise may suggest migraine⁴. Those need your medical doctor.

A headache that starts after a head injury, fall, or bump needs medical attention too⁶. So does a new kind of headache after age 50⁶.

Find out what's behind your headaches

You've learned to work through them. A pain reliever in your bag, a warm shower at night, and an early bedtime when it's bad. But managing headaches every week isn't the same as feeling good.

We're here to help you find out what's behind them. Chiropractic Company has cared for Greater Milwaukee since 1982, with 400,000+ patients, 1,400+ five-star Google reviews, and 20+ neighborhood clinics. Our doctors care for headaches and neck tension every week. We look for the cause of your pain, not just the symptoms. Your care is designed around your headaches, your medical history, your daily routine, and your goals. You choose your care, and you see the same doctor as it continues.

Care is natural and drug-free. Treatment begins at your second visit, or the same day in acute cases if your doctor decides it's appropriate. Some plans add massage therapy at our Hales Corners and Oconomowoc clinics, or physical therapy at Menomonee Falls, Waukesha, and West Allis North. We're glad to work alongside your medical doctor.

We're in-network with most insurance companies and accept Medicare and auto accident claims. Eligible new patients can start with the $29 new-patient special, which includes a consultation, an exam, and X-rays if needed. *See offer terms.

Visit one of our 20+ neighborhood clinics across Greater Milwaukee: Milwaukee East, Milwaukee North, Milwaukee Third Ward, Shorewood, Glendale, Mequon, Cedarburg, Grafton, Germantown, Brookfield, Menomonee Falls, Waukesha, Oconomowoc, New Berlin, West Allis, West Allis North, Greenfield, Hales Corners, Franklin, Muskego, and Cudahy.

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