# why does crying give you a headache? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 17, 2002, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-crying-give-you-a-headache/104071 "2002-04-17T03:27:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![racinchikki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/eada6e/32.png) [@racinchikki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/racinchikki)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2002, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-crying-give-you-a-headache/104071/1 "2002-04-17T03:27:49Z")
Pretty straightforward. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Duality](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mr.duality/32/4098_2.png) [@Mr.Duality](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Duality)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2002, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-crying-give-you-a-headache/104071/2 "2002-04-17T03:48:18Z")
With all respect, I never heard of that before. Doesn’t happen to me. ---
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2002, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-crying-give-you-a-headache/104071/3 "2002-04-17T04:01:01Z")
Maybe if you cry a lot, you get dehydrated. Other than that, I have no idea. ---
**Author:** ![racinchikki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/eada6e/32.png) [@racinchikki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/racinchikki)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2002, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-crying-give-you-a-headache/104071/4 "2002-04-17T04:18:43Z")
It’s always happened to me. Only if I cry a lot, though. Gentle weeping pains me not. Maybe I’m just weird. ---
**Author:** ![alice\_in\_wonderland](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alice_in_wonderland/32/176_2.png) [@alice\_in\_wonderland](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alice_in_wonderland)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2002, 5:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-crying-give-you-a-headache/104071/5 "2002-04-17T05:12:04Z")
Well, if yer crying, then theorectically, yer upset. Tension, perhaps? I dunno - I’m not a real cryer myself… ---
**Author:** ![Trucido](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ea5d25/32.png) [@Trucido](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trucido)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2002, 5:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-crying-give-you-a-headache/104071/6 "2002-04-17T05:32:28Z")
I would think that prolonged tension of the facial muscles, as is involved in heavy-duty crying, can quite easily cause a headache. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Lao](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/2bfe46/32.png) [@Dr.Lao](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Lao)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2002, 5:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-crying-give-you-a-headache/104071/7 "2002-04-17T05:42:10Z")
Happens to me too. I think **Trucido** has the answer. Usually I can alleviate the pain somewhat by conciously trying to relax my face and jaw muscles. ---
**Author:** ![dabrota](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ea666f/32.png) [@dabrota](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dabrota)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2002, 6:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-crying-give-you-a-headache/104071/8 "2002-04-17T06:51:36Z")
I would chalk it up to sinus pressure. AFter all…when you cry, your nose starts to run. I thought of it as sinus pressure. Another theory - increased blood flow. Your face gets red, so presumably there’s more blood flowing to your face, and thus whole head. Maybe it’s increased blood pressure. I’ve heard that people with high blood pressure often get headaches. Actually, that makes more sense - upset, tension, crying, increased blood pressure = headache.