Tension headaches at a glance
Pressure-like pain
Often described as tightness, pressure, or a band around the head.
Stress-sensitive
Symptoms often worsen with stress, fatigue, posture, or prolonged concentration.
Know red flags
Some headache features need medical assessment.
This page is educational. If headaches are new, severe, or changing, seek personalised medical advice.
What are tension headaches?
Tension headaches involve pain from muscles and soft tissues around the head, neck, and shoulders, combined with increased sensitivity in the nervous system. Unlike migraines, they usually do not cause nausea or visual disturbances, but they can still be persistent and draining.
Why do tension headaches happen?
Muscle tension and overload
Sustained posture, screen time, jaw clenching, and reduced movement can overload head and neck muscles, contributing to headache patterns.
Nervous system sensitivity
When stress is high, the brain can amplify normal sensations into pain. Over time, this threat-based signalling can keep headaches recurring even without ongoing tissue damage.
When should I worry about headaches?
Seek medical assessment if headaches occur with:
- Sudden, severe “worst ever” headache
- Neurological symptoms such as weakness, slurred speech, or confusion
- Fever, stiff neck, or signs of infection
- Head injury before onset
- Progressive worsening or headaches that wake you from sleep
If you are unsure, speak with a clinician. This page is educational and not a diagnosis.
What helps with tension headaches?
What helps most people
- Regular movement and posture variation
- Reducing jaw, shoulder, and neck tension
- Sleep and routine stabilisation
- Stress and threat reduction
If headaches persist
Persistent headaches often benefit from a combined approach that retrains the nervous system, builds movement confidence, and reduces hypervigilance. Many people improve with mind-body informed care.