Tension headache lasting a week: what to know

Tension-type headache often feels like pressure, tightness, or a band around the head rather than a throbbing pain. It may involve the scalp, temples, forehead, neck, or shoulders. Stress, poor sleep, prolonged screen posture, jaw clenching, dehydration, and skipped meals can help maintain the discomfort. A headache that continues for a week can also have another cause, so its pattern and associated symptoms matter more than the label alone.

Keep water and regular meals in your routine, take breaks from close screen work, and gently move your neck and shoulders. Rest in a quiet space if that helps, and note when the pain appears, where it is felt, what makes it better or worse, and which medicines you have taken. Use pain medicine only as directed on its label or by a clinician; frequent use can itself contribute to recurring headaches. Arrange a GP consultation for a persistent or unfamiliar headache.

Seek urgent medical help for a sudden, severe headache, new weakness or numbness, confusion, fainting, trouble speaking, a seizure, fever with a stiff neck, repeated vomiting, or new vision loss. Prompt assessment is also sensible after a head injury, during pregnancy, or when a headache is steadily worsening. If none of these warning signs is present, book a routine appointment because a week of ongoing pain still merits review.

Ask whether the pattern fits tension-type headache, whether your medicines or caffeine may be contributing, and whether your neck, jaw, vision, blood pressure, or sleep needs checking. Take your symptom notes to the appointment.