The cause of tension-type headaches is not clear. However, there are several situations which have been known to trigger them.
A tension-type headache can be caused by emotional tension, which may include stress, anxiety or tiredness.
Physical tension such as poor posture or squinting to read can also cause scalp or neck muscles to tense up, which can lead to a tension-type headache.
You may experience headaches similar to a tension-type headache during a fever, or if you normally drink a lot of caffeine (such as coffee) and stop drinking it. This is known as a caffeine-withdrawal headache.
Other possible causes of a tension-type headache include:
- bright sunlight
- noise
- changes in the weather
- certain smells
- menstrual periods
Medication-overuse headache
A common cause of regular (chronic) headaches is taking painkillers too often (more than twice a week).
Your body could get used to the painkillers and a withdrawal headache may occur if they aren't taken every day. Some people mistake this for a tension-type headache and take more painkillers to relieve it, leading to a worse headache every time the medication is stopped.
