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You had a difficult day at work and can feel it starting — a throbbing band of pain around your forehead. It’s a classic tension headache, also known as a stress headache.

Most people get stress-induced headaches from time to time. They usually aren’t serious but can interfere with your daily activities and enjoyment of life. Fortunately, there are many simple at-home treatments to help relieve headaches.

What Is a Tension Headache?

A tension headache is the most common type of headache. The term describes dull pain or discomfort in your head, scalp, or neck.

Tension headaches are usually mild or moderate. You feel them on both sides of your head, not just in one spot.

You may experience occasional tension headaches or have them regularly. A stress headache can last anywhere from 30 minutes to several days. They tend to run in families and are more common in women than men.

What Causes Tension Headaches?

Tension headaches happen when the muscles in your face, neck, scalp, or jaw become tight. Doctors don’t always know what causes tension headaches, but triggers may include:

• Changes in the weather.
• Changes in your eating or sleeping habits.
• Cold, flu, or a sinus infection.
• Dehydration.
• Drinking alcohol.
• Drinking too much caffeine or quitting caffeine suddenly.
• Emotional stress.
• Fatigue.
• Physical positions that strain your head or neck, like looking at a computer screen for hours.
• Sleeping in an awkward position or in a cold room.
• Smoking.

How to tell the difference between tension headaches and migraines

A migraine is a more intense type of headache. It causes a throbbing or pulsing pain that’s usually on one side of the head.

People who get migraines often see an “aura” first. An aura is a visual change, like flashing lights, sparkles, or zig-zag lines moving across your field of vision.

Nausea and vomiting often accompany migraines. You may also become extremely sensitive to bright lights and loud noises. Migraines can happen to children and adults, but they are more common in women.

A cluster headache is another common type of headache. These extremely painful attacks happen in spurts. You may get several in one day and then none for a few months. They are different from ordinary tension headaches.

How to Relieve Tension Headaches

Even though tension headaches usually aren’t a sign of a serious problem, they are no fun to live with. Fortunately, many home remedies can help ease the discomfort of a stress headache.

Here are some of the best treatments for tension headaches.

Over-the-counter medications for tension headaches

Talk to your doctor about the best over-the-counter (OTC) medicine to take for headache pain. They may recommend non-prescription drugs like aspirin, acetaminophen (Tylenol), or ibuprofen (Advil).

It’s important to follow OTC medication directions and not take too much. Taking OTC pain relievers more than three times a week can lead to rebound headaches. These are headaches that keep coming back due to overuse of medicine.

If OTC medicines don’t help, talk to your doctor about prescription options.

Natural remedies for tension headaches

In addition to OTC medicines, you may be able to minimize stress headaches with some simple lifestyle changes. For headache prevention and relief, you can:

• Cut down on caffeinated drinks like coffee, soda, and tea.
• Eat a nutritious, well-balanced diet and drink lots of water to stay hydrated.
• Exercise regularly.
• Keep a headache journal. Jot down when you get headaches and how long they last. You may be able to figure out your headache triggers and avoid them.
• Keep your face and head warm if headaches seem to occur in cold weather.
• Stick to a healthy sleep schedule. Get up and go to bed at the same time every day.
• Take breaks when using a computer or reading for an extended period of time.
• Try using a different type of pillow or adjust your sleeping position.
• Use a heating pad to relax your neck muscles.

Exercises to relieve tension headaches

You can try some easy physical strategies to relieve headache pain. These include:

• Breathing exercises — Try taking deep, focused breaths into your belly, holding your breath for a few seconds after you inhale. Let the breath out slowly.
• Meditation — Lie or sit in a dimly lit room and clear your mind. Picture a peaceful scene for a few minutes.
• Self-massage — You can rub your own temples, neck, and shoulders to relax your muscles.
• Stretching exercises — Gentle neck, shoulder, and facial stretches can help ease headache pain.

Alternative therapies for tension headaches

Some people with chronic tension headaches find relief through non-medicinal alternative therapies. These include:

• Acupuncture.
• Biofeedback.
• Cognitive behavioral feedback.
• Physical therapy.
• Trigger point dry needling.

When Should I See a Doctor for Tension Headaches?

If tension headaches happen frequently or interfere with work, family life, or school, talk to your doctor. Schedule an appointment if:

• Pain medicine or other therapies that used to help headache pain no longer work.
• You have side effects like sleepiness, stomach pain, or nausea from headache medicine.
• You notice a change in how often or when you get headaches.
• You take pain medication for headaches more than three times a week.
• Your headaches get worse when you lie down.
• You’re pregnant or could become pregnant. You shouldn’t take some pain medications when you’re pregnant.

While most tension headaches are not a sign of a serious problem, a more intense headache may be. Call 911 or go to the emergency room right away if you have:

• A high fever or stiff neck with a headache.
• Loss of balance.
• Problems speaking, moving, or seeing clearly.
• Severe headache with vomiting.
• Sudden, severe headache pain that goes beyond what you’ve experienced before.

Tension headaches are common and often triggered by stress or lifestyle factors, but they don’t have to control your life. By making healthy daily adjustments, practicing natural relaxation techniques, and using medications wisely, you can ease the discomfort and reduce the chances of headaches happening again.

Knowing when to seek medical care ensures you stay proactive in managing headaches and protecting overall wellbeing.