Tension Headaches

There are many things you can do at home to reduce the frequency and severity of tension headaches. Reducing stress, getting regular exercise, eating right, and learning better ways to manage depression and anxiety may help.

Try the following:

• Find healthy ways to deal with stress. You may be more likely to get tension headaches during stressful times.
• Do relaxation exercises to reduce muscle tension and stress, which may help reduce the frequency and duration of tension headaches.
• Take medicine as prescribed by your doctor to prevent and treat your tension headaches. This will also help you to avoid getting rebound headaches, which can be caused by overusing pain relievers.
• Identify your headache triggers and determine whether your headaches are becoming more severe, by keeping a headache diary (What is a PDF document?).
• Seek help if you think your tension headaches may be linked to depression or anxiety. Proper treatment of these conditions may reduce the frequency of your headaches, as well as relieve your symptoms of anxiety or depression.

For more information, see:

Headaches: Identifying and avoiding triggers.

Headaches: Managing headaches.

Tension headaches in children

If your child has tension headaches, they may be related to stress about school, such as tests, athletic events, dances, or peer pressure. They may also be related to lack of sleep. You may want to keep a diary of your child's headaches, to help identify his or her triggers. Talk to your doctor about the best treatment for your child's headaches. Be sure to let your doctor know if your child's headaches are not getting better.