Tension Headache vs Cluster Headache
By the AllHealth UK editorial teamLast reviewed Next review due Compiled from published NHS and NICE guidance. Not reviewed by a clinician.
Is it a tension headache or a cluster headache?
A tension headache is a dull, pressing band across both sides of the head, mild to moderate, and you can usually carry on with your day. A cluster headache is a sharp, burning pain on one side around the eye, severe enough that you cannot sit still, with a red watering eye and a blocked nose on the same side. Attacks last 15 minutes to 3 hours.
Immediate action required: call 999 or go to A&E if
- One of your eyelids is drooping for the first time
- The pupil in one eye is suddenly smaller than the other
- A headache that started suddenly and is extremely painful
- Headache with a seizure, numbness or weakness, confusion, loss of vision, or a stiff neck
- A severe headache with jaw pain when eating, a sore scalp, or blurred or double vision — call 111 or get an urgent GP appointment, these can be signs of temporal arteritis
If you are weighing up whether it is bad enough to call, that is itself a reason to call. Nobody is annoyed by a 999 call that turns out to be the less serious of the two.
| Feature | Tension Headache | Cluster Headache |
|---|---|---|
| Typical signs |
|
|
| How long it lasts | At least 30 minutes, sometimes several days | 15 minutes to 3 hours per attack, sometimes several times a day |
| What helps | Paracetamol or ibuprofen, rest, drinking enough water, managing stress | Paracetamol and ibuprofen do not work. A GP or specialist can prescribe triptan injections or nasal spray, or oxygen through a mask |
| What to do | Self-care at home | See a GP |
Sources and further reading
This page was written from the following published guidance. All links checked 26 August 2026.
What to do next
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