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Condition

Tension Headaches

Tension headaches are the most common headache type. They show up as a steady pressure or band-like tightness around the head, often driven by tight muscles in the neck and shoulders.

Overview

A tension headache usually feels like a dull, pressing ache on both sides of the head. It can last 30 minutes or stretch across an entire day, and often gets worse as the day goes on.

Most tension headaches are linked to stress, poor sleep, long screen time, and tight neck muscles. When they show up several times a week, they start to feel like a part of daily life. They do not have to be.

Symptoms & causes

Tension headaches look similar from person to person, but the triggers vary. Finding your pattern is the first step toward fewer headache days.

Pressure or tightness across the forehead, temples, and back of the head
Tenderness in the scalp, neck, and shoulder muscles
No nausea or visual aura, unlike migraine
Headaches that come on with stress, long computer sessions, or poor sleep

When to see a doctor

Seek care if…

Call us if your headache pattern changes suddenly, if a headache comes on fast and severely, if you develop neurological symptoms like vision changes, weakness, or slurred speech, or if your headaches stop responding to usual remedies.

Frequently asked questions

How do I know if it is a tension headache or a migraine?

Tension headaches tend to feel like a steady pressure on both sides of the head, without nausea or sensitivity to light and sound. Migraines are usually one-sided, throbbing, and come with those extra symptoms. Many patients actually have both.

Can stress really cause this much headache pain?

Yes. Stress tightens the muscles across your neck, jaw, and shoulders, and that tension pulls pain into the head. When muscles stay tight for days or weeks, the pain becomes chronic. Targeted treatment can break that loop.

Will I need regular treatment or is this a one-time fix?

For many patients, trigger point injections every few months, paired with posture and stress work, are enough. Others benefit from a scheduled Botox or nerve block routine. We tailor the plan to your headache pattern.