Can Anxiety Cause Headaches? Understanding the Connection and Finding Relief

Anxiety disorders can have a wide variety of symptoms, including physical symptoms. A common visual of a stressed or anxious person is a person rubbing their temples or the bridge of their nose due to headache pain, and there is a reason for that. Headache disorders such as chronic migraine, tension headaches, and cluster headaches can be affected by stress and anxiety disorders. But why is this, and what can we do about it? Let's take a closer look at the connection between headache disorders and anxiety disorders.

Understanding Anxiety and Headaches

Anxiety and headaches are closely connected, with anxiety causing tension headaches and linked to both chronic and episodic migraine headaches and cluster headaches. The relationship between anxiety and headaches is complex, with anxiety causing headaches and living with headaches causing anxiety, in a vicious cycle of headache triggers and anxiety headaches.

In fact, anxiety disorders, such as generalized anxiety disorder and panic disorder, can increase the risk of developing headache disorders.

Types of Headaches Linked to Anxiety

Most people are aware of the link between tension headaches and anxiety disorders, but there are more connections between stress and headache triggers than you may be aware of.

Tension Headaches

Tension headaches are the most common type of headache and can be caused by stress, depression, or anxiety. Symptoms include dull, consistent mild to moderate pain on both sides of the head, feeling like a tight band around the forehead. Tension headaches can last from 30 minutes to 7 days and can occur occasionally or frequently.

Migraine Headaches

Migraine headaches are a disorder that affects the nervous system and causes severe throbbing headaches, along with other symptoms. Stress is a common migraine trigger, and people who experience stress are more likely to have migraines. People who have migraines are more likely to have an anxiety disorder, especially if their migraines are chronic. A migraine headache can be debilitating and may keep a sufferer from work and other activities.

Cluster Headaches

Cluster headaches are an uncommon, severe type of headache that causes pain behind and around the eyes. Symptoms include pain attacks that occur one to eight times a day, lasting from 15 minutes to 3 hours. Cluster headaches can be chronic or occur in clusters, with headache-free periods between episodes. Cluster headaches can cause mild to moderate pain, or severe pain, depending on the case.

Causes of Anxiety Headaches

Tension headaches, the most common of anxiety headaches, occur when muscles in the face and neck contract and tense up, a common response to stress and anxiety.

Chronic anxiety can cause the release of stress hormones, which can affect heart rate, blood pressure, and other body functions that may be related to migraines. Anxiety disorders can also lead to migraines indirectly, such as through poor sleep or stress. Headaches can also lead to a cycle for those with anxiety; for example, head pain may cause panic attacks in someone with a panic disorder, ramping up anxiety and then creating the conditions for further tension type headaches.

Treating Anxiety Headaches

There can be a variety of causes for headache disorders, but if other conditions have been eliminated, you may be experiencing an anxiety headache. Fortunately, there are a number of ways you can treat a tension headache caused by general anxiety disorder or other anxiety disorders.

Psychotherapy

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) may be recommended to address thoughts and behaviors that lead to anxiety and can help to manage symptoms of anxiety, including the head pain caused by tension-type headaches.

Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) is a form of therapy that may be helpful for cluster headaches, teaching how to accept and work around symptoms.

Whether anxiety is the cause of your tension headache or you have chronic pain caused by headaches from other sources, psychotherapy can help individuals manage anxiety symptoms and reduce headache frequency and severity.

Medications for Anxiety Headache Disorders

Prescription medication may be helpful in controlling pain from headaches in everyday life, and certain antidepressant medications can help with anxiety and headache symptoms.

According to the American Migraine Foundation, triptans and other medications may be prescribed to treat migraine headaches.

A number of medications can help alleviate headache pain and reduce anxiety symptoms; work with your healthcare provider to determine which one is most appropriate for your headaches.

Managing Anxiety Disorders and Headaches

Making lifestyle changes that reduce tension and anxiety can help prevent stress headaches.

Examples of lifestyle changes include getting enough sleep, eating and drinking regularly, avoiding triggers, and practicing relaxation techniques like deep breathing exercises.

Managing anxiety disorders and headaches requires a comprehensive approach that includes medication, therapy, and lifestyle changes. Monoamine oxidase inhibitors are a common prescription medication used to help manage symptoms of anxiety or major depression and may help reduce tension type headaches.

When to Seek Medical Attention for Anxiety Headaches

While a tension headache is a common symptom of anxiety, see a healthcare professional if tension headaches last for long periods of time, strike often, or interfere with everyday life.

See a healthcare professional if you experience migraines or headaches if they occur more than four times a month, are not getting relief from OTC medication developed to treat headaches, or become chronic.

Always visit a healthcare professional if you think you have cluster headaches or if you experience severe pain or other concerning symptoms.

Finding Relief from Anxiety Headaches

Stress-reducing activities like yoga or deep breathing exercises can help reduce anxiety and stress, which in turn can protect you from tension headaches. Relaxing activities such as socializing, exercising, or reading can also help.

Finding relief from anxiety and headaches requires a combination of self-care, therapy, and medical treatment. Working with a therapist can help you learn to manage the symptoms of an anxiety disorder, also offering tools to avoid headache triggers and to decrease physical symptoms that do occur.

Managing Anxiety Disorders in Chicago, IL

While not every case of chronic migraine can be linked to anxiety disorders like generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorders, or post-traumatic stress disorder, headache symptoms are common with these conditions. If you suspect that your headache symptoms are due to a problem like anxiety and depression, therapy can help.

At Williamsburg Therapy Group, our team of doctoral-level Chicago anxiety psychotherapists offers both online and in-person sessions to accommodate a busy life and allow you to work with a provider that can facilitate healing, offering a variety of practical strategies like relaxation techniques that can manage the pain of a tension-type headache.

Call today to speak with a service coordinator who can find the right therapist match for you. Stress doesn't have to be an all-encompassing force that inhibits your sense of joy in the world. With help navigating your feelings and behaviors, anxiety and depression can be managed in a way that spares you an anxiety headache.