Why Tension Headaches Can Pile Up Around the Holidays, and What Helps

Tension headaches come from tight muscles in the shoulders, neck, scalp, and jaw. They can be related to stress, and they may come more often when you work too much, sleep too little, miss meals or drink alcohol (opens in a new tab). The weeks from Thanksgiving through New Year's, with their late nights, skipped lunches, and parties, can bring more of all of that. For an ordinary tension headache, start with self-care at home. If yours keep coming back, a headache diary and a few daily habits can help. Headaches are also among the problems our chiropractic physicians treat, and acupuncture may reduce how often they come, though the evidence has limits.

If a headache is the worst of your life or starts very suddenly, call 911 (opens in a new tab); the other warning signs are below.

What a tension headache feels like, and what sets one off

A tension headache usually feels dull and pressing rather than throbbing, like a tight band around your head. It tends to be felt all over rather than on one side. It can last from 30 minutes to 7 days, usually without nausea or vomiting.

The pain starts when neck and scalp muscles tense up or contract, which can be a response to stress, anxiety, or depression. Holding your head in one position for a long time, as with typing or other computer work, can bring on one. Sleeping in a cold room or with your neck in an awkward position may also trigger one, and so can alcohol, too much caffeine or caffeine withdrawal, eye strain, fatigue, clenching your jaw, or a cold or the flu.

Headache signs that need 911 or a doctor

Tension headaches aren't linked to brain disease, but a few signs mean a headache needs more than self-care. Call 911 (opens in a new tab) for the worst headache of your life, one that starts very suddenly, or one that comes with a high fever, a stiff neck, or trouble speaking, seeing, or moving. Sudden numbness or weakness on one side of the body, or sudden confusion, can be signs of a stroke (opens in a new tab), so call 911 for those too, and don't drive yourself.

Short of an emergency, get medical help right away (opens in a new tab) for a headache after a head injury, one that keeps getting worse, or headaches that are new for you, especially after age 50. Make an appointment (opens in a new tab) if your headaches change or stop responding to treatment, if you need pain medicine more than 3 days a week, or if you're pregnant.

Easing a tension headache at home

When a headache feels like your usual one and none of those signs apply, an over-the-counter pain reliever such as acetaminophen, aspirin, ibuprofen, or naproxen may ease it. Follow the label, because too much acetaminophen can damage your liver, and too much ibuprofen, naproxen, or aspirin can irritate your stomach or damage your kidneys. Overusing pain medicine may lead to rebound headaches, which keep coming back and can be very hard to treat (opens in a new tab).

An ice pack or a hot pack may help, and so can massaging the sore muscles. Our post on heat or ice covers how long to keep a pack on. You can also try relaxation techniques. They generally don't have side effects, though there isn't much evidence that they help tension headaches.

Steps that help prevent the next one

A headache diary can show you what sets yours off. Each time you get a headache, write down the day and time, how much you slept, what you ate and drank over the past 24 hours, and what you were doing right before the pain began. Once you see a pattern, you can work on avoiding or changing those triggers.

Practice good posture when you read or work, and set your computer screen no lower than the level of your eyes (opens in a new tab). Take breaks to move your neck and shoulders often during computer work or other close work. Try a different pillow or sleeping position, get plenty of sleep and rest, and keep warm if your headaches seem to come with the cold. Working on how you handle stress can help as well.

Chiropractic care for headaches, and what's known about manipulation

Headaches are one of the problems our chiropractic physicians treat, along with neck and low back pain. Your chiropractic physician takes a health history, makes a diagnosis, and builds a treatment plan around your specific concerns. Care is hands-on and drug-free, and if a traditional adjustment makes you hesitate, every office offers the ProAdjuster SRT, a computer-guided instrument for gentle, low-force adjustments without the twisting or popping.

Spinal manipulation is often used for headaches. For chronic tension headache, a 2020 federal analysis found that in one study, it was linked to moderate short-term improvements in pain and small ones in function (opens in a new tab).

Short-lived side effects, such as soreness, stiffness, or a brief headache, can follow an adjustment. Most go away within 24 hours (opens in a new tab), and serious side effects are very rare. Tell your chiropractic physician about your health conditions and the medicines you take.

Acupuncture for tension headaches that keep coming back

Research also suggests acupuncture may reduce how often tension headaches come (opens in a new tab). In two large trials, 48 in 100 people who added acupuncture to their usual care saw their headaches come half as often or less (opens in a new tab), compared with 17 in 100 who had usual care alone. Acupuncture also did better than a placebo version, and in one large trial the benefit was still there six months later.

In the few small trials that compared it with physical therapy, massage, or exercise, the results were close. At Omni you don't have to pick one: acupuncture is part of a plan of care that can also include chiropractic adjustment, soft-tissue treatment, and rehabilitation exercises.

Acupuncture is generally considered safe when an experienced practitioner uses sterile needles. Our needles are very fine, sterile and single-use, and afterward you can generally return to your normal activities right away. The same team that evaluates your condition decides with you whether acupuncture belongs in your plan.

Starting chiropractic care or acupuncture with us

Chiropractic care is offered at all five of our offices: East Haven, Meriden, Milford, Wallingford (Tuesdays and Thursdays), and West Haven. It doesn't require a referral, though some insurance plans require one for coverage. Same day appointments are available.

Coverage for acupuncture varies by insurance plan, and some plans have their own referral requirements. Our staff will verify your coverage and let you know what your plan requires before your first visit.

Call (203) 562-8600 or the office nearest you, and mention acupuncture if you'd like it in your plan. Check our FAQ page for insurance, hours, and what to bring, and bring your headache diary if you've kept one.