Can a Chiropractor Help With Tension Headaches? Causes, Symptoms & Treatment
Tension headaches are one of the most common types of headache and something I regularly see alongside neck and shoulder problems in practice.
They're often described as a dull, aching pressure around the forehead and sides of the head, almost like a tight band wrapped around it. For some people they're occasional, but for others they can last for hours or even days and become part of a frustrating pattern that keeps returning.
What I find particularly common is that people learn to live with them. They put the headaches down to stress, work or too much time in front of a screen, take a painkiller and carry on.
The headache settles, but then it comes back.
When I assess someone with recurring tension headaches, I want to understand why that pattern keeps repeating and what factors we may be able to change.
What Does a Tension Headache Feel Like?
Tension headaches commonly feel like a tight band of pressure around the forehead and sides of the head.
Some people describe it as a squeezing or pressing sensation rather than the throbbing pain often associated with a migraine.
Common symptoms include:
A dull, aching headache
Pressure around the forehead, temples and sides of the head
Tightness through the neck and shoulders
Neck stiffness or restricted movement
Tension headaches aren't typically associated with symptoms such as visual aura, significant nausea or vomiting. If these symptoms are present, we need to consider whether we're dealing with a different type of headache.
What Causes Tension Headaches?
There isn't always one single cause.
In my experience, it's often a combination of stress, prolonged desk or screen use, reduced movement, posture and muscular tension that creates the right conditions for headaches to keep returning.
One of the biggest factors I look at is how someone holds their head throughout the day.
Many of us now spend hours looking at laptops, monitors and phones. Over time, the head can start to sit further forwards and the shoulders become more rounded.
This position can increase the workload on the muscles and other tissues at the back of the neck and shoulders.
Combine that with long periods of sitting, very little movement, stress and poor sleep, and you can create what I sometimes describe to patients as a perfect storm for recurring tension headaches.
What Does Posture Have to Do With Tension Headaches?
Posture isn't simply about sitting up straight.
I'm more interested in how you hold yourself and how long you remain in that position.
If you spend most of your working day sitting in front of a computer with your head forwards and shoulders rounded, certain muscles are having to work continuously to support that position.
Over time, I may find restricted movement through the neck and upper back alongside increased muscular tension and changes in the way the head and shoulders are being held.
The body starts to adapt to the positions we repeatedly put it in.
This can create imbalances in movement and muscle function, with certain areas becoming tight or restricted while others compensate.
These are some of the patterns I look for when assessing someone with recurring tension headaches.
How Do I Assess Someone With Tension Headaches?
When someone comes to see me with headaches, I don't immediately assume they're coming from the neck.
First, I want to understand the headache itself.
I'll ask when it started, where the pain is felt, how frequently it occurs, how long it lasts, what seems to trigger it and whether there are any other symptoms.
I'll also ask about previous injuries, stress, sleep, work, screen use and other lifestyle factors.
The physical examination may then include:
Neck movement, posture and joint mobility
Muscle tension and areas of imbalance
Shoulder and upper-back movement
Neurological and other relevant physical tests
Neck movement can tell us a lot. If someone has lost movement through particular areas or certain movements reproduce their symptoms, that can provide useful information.
I also look at how the person naturally holds their head and shoulders. Forward head posture is something I commonly see, particularly in people who spend long periods working at a desk.
By combining these findings, I can start to understand whether the neck and surrounding structures appear to be contributing to the headache pattern.
Can Chiropractic Help With Tension Headaches?
For some people, yes, particularly when their tension headaches occur alongside neck stiffness, restricted movement and muscular tension.
Once I've completed the assessment, treatment is tailored to what we've found.
This may include:
Specific chiropractic adjustments and joint mobilisation
Soft tissue treatment
Mobility and rehabilitation exercises
Postural, workplace and lifestyle advice
If I identify specific joints that aren't moving particularly well, I may use gentle, specific chiropractic adjustments to help improve movement and function.
Soft tissue treatment can also be useful where there is significant tension through the muscles around the neck, shoulders and upper back.
Mobility and rehabilitation exercises then give us an opportunity to work on movement, strength and control outside the treatment room.
Changing the Pattern
This is particularly important when headaches keep returning.
If someone spends eight hours every day working at a computer, what happens during those eight hours matters.
Rather than simply telling someone to "improve their posture", I want to look at their routine.
How long are they sitting without moving? Where is their screen positioned? Are they constantly looking down at a laptop? Are they getting up and moving throughout the day?
I don't expect patients to maintain a "perfect" posture for eight hours.
Instead, I encourage regular movement, variation and breaks from prolonged positions.
Alongside treatment, this may involve changing working positions, taking more frequent movement breaks and introducing appropriate mobility or strengthening exercises.
With recurring problems, I will often recommend a course of care based on the patient's examination findings and progress. The aim is to improve movement and function while helping the patient move away from some of the patterns and habits that may be contributing to their headaches.
Can Stress Cause Tension Headaches?
Stress can certainly be an important contributing factor.
When we're stressed, many of us unconsciously tense the muscles around our shoulders, neck and jaw. Some people clench their teeth or notice that their shoulders gradually creep upwards throughout the day.
Stress can also affect sleep, activity and how much time we spend sitting without moving.
This is why I think it's important to consider both physical and lifestyle factors when someone experiences recurring tension headaches.
We can't remove every source of stress from someone's life, but we can identify areas that may be adding to the overall load and find practical ways of managing them.
Tension Headaches and Migraines Aren't the Same Thing
It's important to distinguish between tension headaches and migraines.
Migraines can involve more intense headache symptoms and may be associated with nausea, sensitivity to light or sound and, for some people, visual disturbances known as an aura.
I had one young patient who had experienced severe migraines for much of her life. Her migraines occurred approximately once a week and were particularly noticeable around her menstrual cycle. Before a migraine, she would sometimes experience visual disturbances, including white floaters, followed by a deep, intense ache behind her right eye.
The effect on her everyday life was significant.
She worked as a kitchen designer and found it extremely difficult to concentrate and work with clients when a migraine developed. When one came on, she would often need to lie down in a quiet, dark room until it settled.
Following her assessment, we agreed on a structured 12-week course of care, initially seeing her twice per week.
After the first few visits, she reported that the intensity of her headaches had reduced and that the visual symptoms weren't happening as frequently.
As her treatment progressed, she reported that her migraines reduced from around once per week to approximately once per month. By the end of her treatment plan, she reported experiencing no migraines and described feeling like a different person.
That's one patient's individual experience, and it doesn't mean everyone with migraines will experience the same result. Migraines are also different from tension headaches and can have several contributing factors, so they need to be assessed appropriately.
What her experience does demonstrate is just how much recurring headaches can affect someone's work, concentration and quality of life.
Why I Don't Think You Should Just Wait It Out
This is something I see frequently.
Someone starts getting an occasional headache and waits for it to disappear.
It settles, so they don't think much more about it.
Then it happens again.
Over time, the headaches become more frequent and the person gradually accepts them as part of normal life.
If you're regularly experiencing headaches, I don't think you should simply assume they're "just stress" or continue waiting for them to disappear.
Having the problem assessed allows us to look at whether factors such as neck movement, muscular tension, posture, previous injuries, stress and lifestyle could be contributing.
The earlier we understand what's happening, the earlier we can start addressing the factors that may be changeable.
When Should You Have Tension Headaches Assessed?
I'd particularly recommend having recurring headaches assessed if they:
Are becoming more frequent or keep returning
Occur alongside persistent neck pain or stiffness
Affect your work, sleep or everyday activities
Have noticeably changed from your usual headache pattern
An assessment doesn't automatically mean you need chiropractic treatment.
It means establishing what type of headache you're experiencing, identifying possible contributing factors and deciding on the most appropriate next step.
When Does a Headache Need Urgent Medical Attention?
Not every headache is a tension headache, and recognising when not to provide chiropractic treatment is an important part of my job.
A sudden, extremely severe headache that comes out of nowhere requires urgent medical assessment, particularly if it's unlike anything you've experienced previously.
I would also be concerned about a new or severe headache accompanied by symptoms such as significant visual disturbance, vomiting, severe dizziness or loss of balance, difficulty speaking, confusion, weakness or other new neurological symptoms.
These aren't symptoms to simply wait out or assume are caused by muscle tension.
So, Can a Chiropractor Help With Tension Headaches?
For some people, chiropractic care can help, particularly when recurring tension headaches are associated with neck stiffness, restricted movement, muscular tension and the physical stresses of everyday life.
My approach is to understand how your headaches behave, assess how your neck, shoulders and upper back are functioning and identify the factors in your daily routine that may be contributing.
If chiropractic care is appropriate, we can then put together a treatment plan that may include specific chiropractic adjustments, soft tissue treatment, mobility and rehabilitation alongside practical changes to your everyday habits.
The goal is to reduce the frequency and intensity of your headaches, improve movement and function and give you practical ways to help prevent the same pattern from continually returning.
Tension Headache Treatment in Sheffield
If you're experiencing recurring tension headaches, particularly alongside neck or shoulder tension, stiffness or restricted movement, you can book a consultation at 360 Chiro Clinic in Sheffield.
We'll start by understanding your headache pattern, carry out a thorough examination and assess whether your neck and surrounding structures may be contributing.
From there, I'll explain what we've found and recommend the most appropriate next steps.
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