Anxiety causes a heavy head feeling because of tension headaches common in people living with the disorder. Most people describe these headaches as feeling like a tight band wrapped around their heads. A tightening of the scalp and neck muscles also causes an anxiety headache.
Common physical symptoms of anxiety can include rapid heartbeat, insomnia, increased or heavy sweating, muscle twitching, and lethargy. Another common symptom for people who struggle with anxiety is pressure in your head, or headaches, or what some describe as their head feeling heavy.
The most common causes of pressure and pain in the head are tension headaches and migraines. Both of these conditions respond well to treatments. In rare cases, pressure in the head is a sign of a more serious condition. If the issue persists, you should see a doctor.
Anxiety has also been linked to chemical imbalances in the brain and body. Scientists have found connections between anxiety and some strange physical, cognitive, and emotional sensations that seem to mainly affect the head.
Episodic tension-type headaches can last from 30 minutes to a week. Frequent episodic tension-type headaches occur less than 15 days a month for at least three months. Frequent episodic tension-type headaches may become chronic.
Use a heating pad set on low, a hot water bottle, a hot shower or bath, a warm compress, or a hot towel. Or apply ice or a cool washcloth to the forehead. Massage also can relieve muscle tension — and sometimes headache pain.
Gently massaging your head and neck muscles may provide relief. If your headaches are due to stress or anxiety, you may want to learn ways to relax. Over-the-counter pain medicine, such as aspirin, ibuprofen, or acetaminophen, may relieve pain.
A little anxiety is fine, but long-term anxiety may cause more serious health problems, such as high blood pressure (hypertension). You may also be more likely to develop infections. If you're feeling anxious all the time, or it's affecting your day-to-day life, you may have an anxiety disorder or a panic disorder.
Stress or anxiety: Worrying, overthinking, and conflicts can trigger a tension headache.
Feeling nervous, restless or tense. Having a sense of impending danger, panic or doom. Having an increased heart rate. Breathing rapidly (hyperventilation)
If the pressure or pain in the head is sudden and severe, seek emergency care. If you have recurring head pressure or pain, especially with symptoms like loss of balance or coordination, mood changes, fever, or nausea, you should call your healthcare provider or seek emergency medical care.
Head pressure has various potential causes, but the most common stem from tension and sinus headaches. Tension headaches - Pain resulting from tension headaches is often mild to moderate. This type of headache gives you a feeling that an invisible band is squeezing your head in.
During times like these, feeling anxious can be perfectly normal. But some people find it hard to control their worries. Their feelings of anxiety are more constant and can often affect their daily lives.
SSRIs and SNRIs are often the first-line treatment for anxiety. Common SSRI brands are Celexa, Lexapro, Luvox, Paxil, and Zoloft. Common SNRI brands are Pristiq, Cymbalta, and Effexor XR. Pros: They are effective for a lot of people and they have a solid safety profile.
Symptoms of severe anxiety are frequent and persistent and may include increased heart rate, feelings of panic and social withdrawal. These symptoms can result in loss of work and increased health care costs.
Stress is a common trigger of tension-type headaches and migraine. It can also trigger other types of headaches or make them worse. Stress is a particularly common headache trigger in children and young adults.
Most conditions that cause pressure in the head go away on their own or respond to over-the-counter pain medication. However, intense or persistent pressure in the head may indicate a severe underlying medical condition.
Anxiety causes a heavy head feeling because of tension headaches common in people living with the disorder. Most people describe these headaches as feeling like a tight band wrapped around their heads. A tightening of the scalp and neck muscles also causes an anxiety headache.
They are often described as dull, "pressure-type" headaches, though some patients also experience sharp or "stabbing" pain. They can be localized to a specific area or generalized. They can be made worse with coughing, sneezing or straining.
Here's the reassuring truth: Headache, by itself, is rarely caused by a tumor. According to a neurosurgeon at Johns Hopkins' Comprehensive Brain Tumor Center, the chance that your headache is a sign of a brain tumor is very remote.
Difficult experiences in childhood, adolescence or adulthood are a common trigger for anxiety problems. Going through stress and trauma when you're very young is likely to have a particularly big impact. Experiences which can trigger anxiety problems include things like: physical or emotional abuse.
Some common mental symptoms of anxiety include:
Feeling nervous, restless or tense. Having a sense of impending danger, panic or doom. Trouble concentrating or thinking about anything other than the present worry. Having difficulty controlling worry.
Depression and anxiety, especially if either develops suddenly, may be an early symptom of a brain tumor. You may become uninhibited or behave in ways you never have before. Changes in speech (trouble finding words, talking incoherently, inability to express or understand language)