Headaches, head pressure, blocked ears, tight neck

I deal with tension headaches/upper back tension that will radiate to my head as well and jaw. You said that a headache appears soon after you wake up, and with all of that tension in the places you mentioned, the first thought that comes to my mind is TMJ - I bet you either clench your teeth at night or grind your teeth. Have you ever been checked out for that? Usually by a dentist. (I get flares of this too.). And yes, it will cause all of those sensations ( and any muscle spasms in the neck and upper back will contribute to it). And yes, tmj will cause those sensations in your ears as well. It is all connected.

I find I have to be diligent with stretching and that Advil helps, if I want to go that route. For quicker help, I find massotherapist helps. And yes, they can help the jaw too and the area around the ears. That all gets tight. And it will contribute to headaches and stuffy ears, again, it’s all connected and super common in people who deal with anxiety.

Hope this helps.

I have head pressure, blocked ears, tight neck and shoulders as well as occasional mild headaches from time to time (also all these symptoms appear very soon after I wake up). I've experienced all these symptoms a lot during the last few weeks. I also have some sinus issue, but I think that sitting in front of a computer, sleeping position (generally, my body posture) contribute to them too. Not to mention that focusing on symptoms and worrying about bodily sensations amplify the intensity of the symptoms.

During the peak of my health anxiety I woke up with a tension headache everyday for around 3-4 months. I also had constant ringing in the ears at the same time. The more I worried and thought about it the worse it got. You aren’t alone. It wasn’t until I realized it was my health anxiety causing this that headaches disappeared. I still get an occasional tension headache and still have ringing in the ears on and off. You just have to find what works for you and try to eliminate stressing over issues when you have been cleared by your Dr

liveinthenow said:

Hi all,
Been having the above symptoms for over a month now. Not really concerned that it's anything particularly sinister since I have been checked out by my GP and had a clear MRI in Feb. However I am getting a little sick of having a constant headache that appears very soon after I wake up, along with everything else and was wondering if anyone else has experienced these for an extended period of time, and if so, how you dealt with them, and if they just eventually go away?

I have been treated for suspected sinusitis twice and gone to an osteopath which haven't really helped all that much.

I have GAD so managing that is probably the first step, but unfortunately it is a vicious cycle of becoming more anxious because of the headaches etc.

Thanks and any suggestions would be great!

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Hi!
Lately, I've been suffering the same. Pressure on my forehead, my ears feel blocked, and my eyesight also gets really watery.
I've dealt with one sinusitis in the past three months, so I understand that feeling of being "exhausted" with feeling ill. Disgracefully I don't feel I have enough knowledge on how to deal with this, but I tend to do things that distract me so I can forget about the pain. Going on walks, taking showers, spending time with your family, all of these relaxing things help me take my mind off the anxiety.

I hope they work for you.

I just finished up a 3 week bout of this. Literally everyday was a headache. Not horrible, just enough to remind you that it is there. For me, it was a stiff neck on waking, and then the headache. For me, it wasn't even anxiety, it was just a lot of stress at work. What worked best for me was Icy-Hot on my neck and a heating pad as often as I could. Google is our enemy, but if you search for trigger points on your neck and shoulders and can massage them, it will help too. As well as neck stretches that you can do to loosen up the muscle. Also, just to add, those of us with anxiety, a huge problem is posture. We get tense and our muscles get tight. We bunch up our shoulders and then a headache, pains in our backs, ribs, etc.....
I just read a research paper that the most common symptom of anxiety is headaches.

I had an episode of this about a month ago.

I got out my car to pick up my anxiety meds and while on the way into the store I get this sudden build up of pressure in my sinus cavities and my ears.

It felt like I was underwater. When I talked it sounded muffled, and my upper neck was tight and ached as well.

After about 15 seconds it released and my neck felt better and I felt normal again

Sooooo odd. But hasn’t happened again


Turned out I had my ears cleaned a few hours prior and with the temp change my sinuses were probably trying to equalize.

If anyone knows what causes this let me know. I have all this too. For 2 mos. I have been having the pressure in my head, ears, and face. I get occasional pain in my temples and top of the head. Not bad just nagging.. I get the ringing in my ears and a full feeling like they are blocked. I do have sinus problems and have a dr. appmt next week for a check-up. I do notice when I am stressed this all seems worse. I have it every morning and sometimes through the day and every night.

Hi all. I get what i think are tension headaches. Basically the pain isnt too bad, it just feels like pressure in the head or even a heavy weight on my head. My jaw also gets tense and aches aswell as plugged ears. My neck gets tension and even goes to my shoulder. I do have GA and HA. These started in January 2020, at first i was quite anxious but when i realised its probably tension, they went away for 5 months. Ive got them again now. I am quite sure its tension.
Does anyone else get these?

I understand this all to well. For the past two weeks I have had upper back and neck pain. Face/ear pressure and constant on and off headaches. And a my right eye is swollen and pink. I get them usually as soon as I wake up. I really believe I’m dealing with a sinus issue and my anxiety has made it worse. I know I should go to my GP to get it checked hopefully soon I can get a appointment set up. And seasonal change though can’t be helping with anyone’s sinuses.

Rosy said:

If anyone knows what causes this let me know. I have all this too. For 2 mos. I have been having the pressure in my head, ears, and face. I get occasional pain in my temples and top of the head. Not bad just nagging.. I get the ringing in my ears and a full feeling like they are blocked. I do have sinus problems and have a dr. appmt next week for a check-up. I do notice when I am stressed this all seems worse. I have it every morning and sometimes through the day and every night.

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Me too!