What is Tension Headache?

Tension headache is pain, pressure, or aching in your head. Tension headaches can last from 30 minutes to several days.

Follow these instructions at home:

Managing pain

• Take over-the-counter and prescription medicines only as told by your doctor.
• When you have a headache, lie down in a dark, quiet room.
• If told, put ice on your head and neck:
  • Put ice in a plastic bag.
  • Place a towel between your skin and the bag.
  • Leave the ice on for 20 minutes, 2–3 times a day.
• If told, put heat on the back of your neck. Do this as often as your doctor tells you to. Use the kind of heat that your doctor recommends, such as a moist heat pack or a heating pad.
  • Place a towel between your skin and the heat.
  • Leave the heat on for 20–30 minutes.
  • Remove the heat if your skin turns bright red.

Eating and drinking

• Eat meals on a regular schedule.
• Watch how much alcohol you drink:
  • If you are a woman and are not pregnant, do not drink more than 1 drink a day.
  • If you are a man, do not drink more than 2 drinks a day.
• Drink enough fluid to keep your pee (urine) pale yellow.
• Do not use a lot of caffeine, or stop using caffeine.

Lifestyle

• Get enough sleep. Get 7–9 hours of sleep each night. Or get the amount of sleep that your doctor tells you to.
• At bedtime, remove all electronic devices from your room. Examples of electronic devices are computers, phones, and tablets.
• Find ways to lessen your stress. Some things that can lessen stress are:
  • Exercise.
  • Deep breathing.
  • Yoga.
  • Music.
  • Positive thoughts.
• Sit up straight. Do not tighten (tense) your muscles.
• Do not use any products that have nicotine or tobacco in them, such as cigarettes and e-cigarettes. If you need help quitting, ask your doctor.

General instructions

• Keep all follow-up visits as told by your doctor. This is important.
• Avoid things that can bring on headaches. Keep a journal to find out if certain things bring on headaches. For example, write down:
  • What you eat and drink.
  • How much sleep you get.
  • Any change to your diet or medicines.

Contact a doctor if:

• Your headache does not get better.
• Your headache comes back.
• You have a headache and sounds, light, or smells bother you.
• You feel sick to your stomach (nauseous) or you throw up (vomit).
• Your stomach hurts.

Get help right away if:

• You suddenly get a very bad headache along with any of these:
  • A stiff neck.
  • Feeling sick to your stomach.
  • Throwing up.
  • Feeling weak.
  • Trouble seeing.
  • Feeling short of breath.
  • A rash.
  • Feeling unusually sleepy.
  • Trouble speaking.
  • Pain in your eye or ear.
  • Trouble walking or balancing.
  • Feeling like you will pass out (faint).
  • Passing out.

Summary

• A tension headache is pain, pressure, or aching in your head.
• Tension headaches can last from 30 minutes to several days.
• Lifestyle changes and medicines may help relieve pain.