Headache and anxiety: how are they related?

Headache and anxiety: how are these two symptoms related? Is one the cause of the other? As we will see, anxiety (or stress), especially if chronic, can cause acute headaches. This happens because when we experience anxiety, we can unconsciously tense the muscles of the face and temple a lot, and transfer that tension to the head.

The headache is a symptom that, due to its persistence and intensity, can become a real burden on our projects.. Therefore, here we tell you how headaches and anxiety are related and what we can do to combat this type of pain.

Headache and anxiety

Are headaches and anxiety related in some way? The reality is that yes: Anxiety, although not always, can cause headaches. The pain it causes can be of different types (we will see them later).

According to psychologist Fabiola Cuevas, when we feel anxiety (or stress, although they are different things), we tense all of our body (especially between the eyebrows, shoulders, back, neck and jaw), and that tension is reflected (or moves) in our head.

On the other hand, according to Fabiola, Headaches caused by anxiety are also related to worries about constantly thinking about something., mulling over the same thing (ruminative thoughts). When we do this, we tighten our eyebrows and tense our eyes, and that same tension ends up transferring to our head.

Mild and occasional headaches at some point in life are, to a certain extent, normal. However, the headache caused by anxiety is usually more intense or more chronic. In addition, it can cause other symptoms such as loss of appetite or weight gain. Pain may also appear in the sternum, causing the discomfort to spread throughout the rib cage and to organs related to the lungs or heart.

How long does an anxiety headache last?

Everything will depend on the intensity, location and type of pain.. There are some that last for hours (the so-called cluster headaches, since they are located in a specific area of ​​the head) and others for days (migraines and acute headaches). If this happens to us, it is best to go to a medical professional (primary care doctor) so that they can examine us and prescribe the corresponding treatment.

We should be attentive to our symptoms and try to reduce the headache, since the longer it lasts, the more likely it is to spread to other areas of the body and cause other symptoms, such as burning or pain in the chest. That is why it is so important that a specialist make a rigorous assessment of the situation.

Headache and anxiety: how to reduce pain?

If the headache appears due to anxiety, the best thing we can do is treat this anxiety. To reduce or remedy anxiety, There are different options: go to psychological therapy, try activation reduction techniques (relaxation techniques, such as progressive muscle relaxation, or breathing techniques, such as diaphragmatic breathing), thought-stopping techniques (in the event that we have ruminative thoughts), etc.

We can also choose yoga, meditation, mindfulness, practicing sports… The most important thing, of course, will be to treat the underlying anxiety, understanding why it appears; And for this, it is best to go to a professional.

Types of pain caused by anxiety

As we have seen, anxiety can cause headaches. In fact, it is one of the most common causes of migraines and headaches. Let’s see the different types of headaches that can appear due to anxiety:

Vascular headaches. Vascular headaches appear due to the dilation and constriction of veins and arteries in the brain. The person who suffers from them describes the sensation of having a helmet on their head that squeezes and puts pressure on them.Tension headaches. They are caused by great muscle tension, which ends up causing contractures or nodules. Sometimes even the muscles of the head, neck and eyes become tense, which ends up causing a headache.Head pressure. Anxiety can cause pressure in the head, which in turn causes tension headaches.Numbness in the head. If we suffer from chronic anxiety, headaches may also appear. If this continues over time, the head can become numb, causing generalized pain throughout the head.noises in the head. In the event of a migraine or headache attack, caused by anxiety, noises may appear in the head that worsen the person’s condition. The noises could be indicating that the brain is generating inflammation in the head.Burning in the head. Another possible relationship between headache and anxiety is the appearance of a burning sensation in the head. It would be like feeling like your head is on fire, burning. The burning sensation usually comes in waves, like punctures that generate discomfort and a feeling of tension, which ends up causing sharp and intense pain.Head cramps. Anxiety can also generate cramps in the head, which translate into a cold tingling, which spreads throughout the cranial area. This would be a sign that blood circulation is being hindered. There are people who feel this cramp as a numbness of the brain combined with a sensation that it is “beating” strongly (sometimes it includes high-pitched noises). Sensation of dullness. Headache and anxiety can also be related, causing dullness of the head; Thus, the person feels as if their brain or head is congested, as if they are unable to process information from the environment or perform a certain action. This symptom may be indicating a significant state of fatigue, among others.Punctures in the head. Anxiety can cause headaches, which in turn bring with them a stinging sensation in the head (like intense shooting). The punctures can increase in intensity and speed, thus causing a chronic migraine.

Ideas to reduce anxiety headaches

We offer you a little advice, once you have gone to the doctor, in order to reduce your headache: observe ourselves every day, throughout the day, to see if we are tensing the muscles of our face a lot (for example, the head or jaw), accumulating tension without realizing it. As we have seen, this can be the origin of the headache.

Let’s also observe our thought management: if we are thinking about something a lot, anticipating events that have not yet occurred (symptoms typical of anxiety), etc. We can put thought-stopping techniques into practice, for example, or perform diaphragmatic breathing exercises (breathing deeply, accumulating air in the belly, and releasing it, releasing all tension when exhaling). Finally, Always try to eat a balanced diet and stay hydrated throughout the day!

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