Why Do I Get a Headache After Crying?
Medically reviewed by Andre Stone | MD, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine on August 25th, 2026.
Crying causes headaches through several physiological mechanisms that affect your head and neck. When you cry, your facial muscles tense and contract repeatedly, creating strain in your temples, forehead, and jaw. Emotional stress can contribute to a headache, especially in people prone to tension-type headaches or migraine, but the exact connection between crying and headache pain is not fully understood. Dehydration can cause headaches, but ordinary crying is unlikely to produce enough fluid loss to cause dehydration on its own. Changes in breathing, nasal congestion, and muscle tension during crying may contribute to headache discomfort in some people. Emotional stress is a common trigger for tension-type headaches, but not everyone develops a headache after crying.
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