A Tension Headache

7/27/2019 A Tension Headache

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A tension headache — or tension-type headache, as it's medically known — is the most common

type of headache, and yet its causes aren't well understood. A tension headache is generally a

diffuse, mild to moderate pain that many people describe as feeling as if there's a tight bandaround their head.

It may feel as though muscle contractions are responsible for your head pain, but experts don'tthink that's the cause, which is why this type of headache is generally referred to as a tension-

type headache.

Fortunately, effective treatments for tension headaches are available. Managing a tension

headache is often a balance between fostering healthy habits, finding effective nondrug

treatments and using medications appropriately.

SymptomsBy Mayo Clinic staff

Signs and symptoms of a tension headache include:

• Dull, aching head pain

• The sensation of tightness or pressure across your forehead or on the sides and back of

your head

• Tenderness on your scalp, neck and shoulder muscles

• Occasionally, loss of appetite

A tension headache can last from 30 minutes to an entire week. You may experience these

headaches only occasionally, or nearly all the time. If your headaches occur 15 or more days a

month for at least three months, they're considered chronic. If you have headaches that occur fewer than 15 times in a month, your headaches are considered episodic. However, people with

frequent episodic headaches are at a higher risk of developing chronic headaches.

The headache is usually described as mild to moderately intense. The severity of the pain varies

from one person to another, and from one headache to another in the same person.

Tension headaches can sometimes be difficult to distinguish from migraines, but unlike someforms of migraine, tension headache usually isn't associated with visual disturbances (blind spots

or flashing lights), nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, weakness or numbness on one side of the body, or slurred speech. And, while physical activity typically aggravates migraine pain, it

doesn't make tension headache pain worse. An increased sensitivity to light or sound can occur

with a tension headache, but this isn't a common symptom.

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When to see a doctor

If tension headache disrupts your life, don't hesitate to talk to your doctor. If you find that you

need to take medication for your headaches more than twice a week, make an appointment to seeyour doctor.

Occasionally, headaches may indicate a serious medical condition, such as a brain tumor or rupture of a weakened blood vessel (aneurysm). Even if you have a history of headaches, see

your doctor if the pattern changes or your headaches suddenly feel different.

See your doctor or go to the emergency room immediately if you have any of these warning

signs and symptoms:

• Abrupt, severe headache, which may be like a thunderclap

• Headache with a fever, stiff neck, mental confusion, seizures, double vision, weakness,

numbness or speaking difficulties

• Headache after a head injury, especially if it gets worse

• Chronic, progressive headache that is precipitated by coughing, exertion, straining or a

sudden movement

Causes

By Mayo Clinic staff

The exact cause or causes of tension headache are unknown. Experts used to think that the pain

of tension headache stemmed from muscle contraction in the face, neck and scalp, perhaps as a

result of heightened emotions, tension or stress. But research suggests that there doesn't appear to be a significant increase in muscle tension in people diagnosed with tension headache.

Changes in brain chemicals

Researchers now suspect that tension headache may result from changes among certain brain

chemicals — serotonin, endorphins and numerous other chemicals — that help nervescommunicate. Although it's not clear why the chemical levels fluctuate, the process is thought to

activate pain pathways to the brain and to interfere with the brain's ability to suppress the pain.

Triggers

It's likely other factors also contribute to the development of tension headaches. Potential

triggers may include:

• Stress

• Depression and anxiety

• Poor posture

• Working in awkward positions or holding one position for a long time





• Jaw clenching

Risk factorsBy Mayo Clinic staff

Risk factors for tension headache include:

• Being a woman. One study found that almost 90 percent of women and about 70 percent

of men experience tension headaches during their lifetimes.

• Being middle-aged. The incidence of tension headaches appears to peak in the 40s,

though people of all ages can get this type of headache.

• Complications• By Mayo Clinic staff

• Because tension headaches are so common, their effect on job productivity and overall

quality of life is considerable. When your head is "gripped in a vise," as the pain is often

described, you may feel unable to attend family and social activities. You might need tostay home from work, or if you do go to your job, you work at only a fraction of your

normal efficienc

Preparing for your appointmentBy Mayo Clinic staff

You're likely to start by first seeing your family doctor. However, you may be referred

immediately to a neurologist, a doctor who specializes in treating nervous system disorders, such

as headache.

Because appointments can be brief, and there's often a lot of ground to cover, it's a good idea to be well prepared for your appointment. Here's some information to help you get ready for your

appointment, and what to expect from your doctor.

What you can do

• Write down any symptoms you're experiencing, including any that may seem

unrelated to the reason for which you scheduled the appointment. Try to keep track of when you have a headache, how long it lasts, and what you were doing when the

headache started.









• Write down key personal information, including any major stresses or recent life

changes.

• Make a list of all medications, as well as any vitamins or supplements, that you're

taking, and share this information with your doctor.

• Write down questions to ask your doctor.

Your time with your doctor is limited, so preparing a list of questions may help you make the

most of your time together. List your questions from most important to least important in case

time runs out. For tension headaches, some basic questions to ask your doctor include:

• What type of headache do you think I'm experiencing?

• What kinds of tests do I need? What will these tests rule out?

• Is my condition likely temporary or chronic?

•

What treatments are available? Which do you recommend?

• What are the alternatives to the primary approach that you're suggesting?

• I have these other health conditions. How can I best manage them together?

• Are there any restrictions that I need to follow?

• Do I need to see a specialist?

• Is there a generic alternative to the medicine you're prescribing me?

• What are common side effects to the medications you're prescribing?

• Are there any brochures or other printed material that I can take home with me? What

Web sites do you recommend visiting?

In addition to the questions that you've prepared to ask your doctor, don't hesitate to ask

questions during your appointment if you don't understand something.

What to expect from your doctor

Your doctor will likely ask you a number of questions. Being ready to answer them may reservetime to go over any points you want to spend more time on. Your doctor may ask:

• When did you first begin experiencing symptoms?• Have you noticed any common triggers, such as a stressful situation or when you've

missed a meal?

• Have your symptoms been continuous, or occasional?

• How severe are your symptoms?

• How long does each headache last?



• How often do you have headaches?

• What, if anything, seems to improve your symptoms?

• What, if anything, appears to worsen your symptoms?

What you can do in the meantimeWhile you're waiting to see your doctor, you can take an over-the-counter analgesic, such asibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, others) or acetaminophen (Tylenol, others) to temporarily relieve the

pain.

Tests and diagnosis


If you have chronic or recurrent headaches, your doctor may try to pinpoint the type and cause of

your headaches using these approaches:

• Your description of your pain. Your doctor can learn a lot about your headaches from

your description of the type of pain, including its severity, location, frequency andduration, and other signs and symptoms you may have.

• Imaging tests. If you have unusual or complicated headaches, your doctor may order

tests to rule out serious causes of head pain, such as a tumor or an aneurysm. Twocommon tests used to image your brain are computerized tomography (CT) and magnetic

resonance imaging (MRI) scans. A CT scan is a diagnostic imaging procedure that uses a

series of computer-directed X-rays to provide a comprehensive view of your brain. AnMRI doesn't use X-rays. Instead, it combines a magnetic field, radio waves and computer

technology to produce clear images.

• A headache calendar. One of the most helpful things you can do is keep a headache

calendar. Each time you get a headache, jot down a description of the pain, including how

severe it is, where it's located and how long it lasts. Also note any medications you take.

A headache calendar can offer valuable clues that may help your doctor diagnose your

particular kind of headache and discover possible headache triggers.

Treatments and drugsBy Mayo Clinic staff

Some people with tension headaches don't seek medical attention, and try to treat the pain on

their own. The problem with that is that repeated use of over-the-counter (OTC) pain relieverscan actually cause overuse headaches.







A variety of medications, both OTC and prescription, are available to stop or reduce the pain of

an existing headache attack, including:

• Analgesics. Analgesics are pain relievers, and a class of analgesics known as

nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are usually the first line of treatment for

reducing headache pain. NSAIDs include the OTC drugs aspirin, ibuprofen (Advil,Motrin IB, others) and naproxen sodium (Aleve). Prescription NSAIDs include naproxen(Naprelan, Naprosyn), indomethacin (Indocin) and ketorolac (Ketorolac Tromethamine).

Acetaminophen (Tylenol, others) and aspirin are also analgesics, but they may be less

effective than some NSAIDs in treating tension headache pain, and they're more likely to

cause medication overuse headaches.

• Combination medications. Aspirin or acetaminophen or both are often combined with

caffeine or a sedative drug in a single medication. For example, Excedrin combines

aspirin, acetaminophen and caffeine. Combination drugs such as this may be more

effective than are pure analgesics for pain relief. Although many combination drugs areavailable OTC, analgesic-sedative combinations can be obtained only by prescription

because they may be addictive and can lead to chronic daily headache. Use them onlywith careful monitoring by your doctor.

• Other medications. For people who experience both migraines and episodic tension

headaches, a triptan can effectively relieve the pain of both headaches. Opiates, or narcotics, are rarely used because of their side effects and potential for dependency.

Pain medications don't cure headaches; they just relieve the symptoms temporarily. Over time

painkillers and other medications may lose their effectiveness or, they might even cause

headaches. To avoid the development of medication overuse headaches, don't use over-the-counter pain relievers for more than nine days a month. In addition, all medications have side

effects. If you take medications regularly, including products you buy over-the-counter, discuss

the risks and benefits with your doctor. Also, remember that pain medications aren't a substitutefor recognizing and dealing with the stressors that may be triggering your headaches.

Preventive medications

Certain medications taken at regular intervals may reduce the frequency and severity of attacks.

Your doctor may prescribe these if you have frequent headaches or have tension headaches thataren't relieved by acute medication and nondrug therapy such as stress management. Your doctor

also may recommend preventive medication if your headache pain becomes disabling or causes

you to overuse acute medication, or if you can't take acute medication because of other medicalconditions.

Doctors may prescribe antidepressants to prevent tension headache, especially the chronic form.These drugs aren't painkillers. Rather, they work to stabilize the levels of brain chemicals such as

serotonin, which may be involved in the development of a headache. You don't have to havedepression in order to use these drugs.

Preventive medications may include:



• Tricyclic antidepressants. Tricyclic antidepressants, including amitriptyline and

nortriptyline (Pamelor), are the most commonly used medications to prevent tension

headache. They're effective against both the episodic and chronic forms. Side effects of these medications may include weight gain, drowsiness and dry mouth.

• Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). Antidepressants such as paroxetine

(Paxil), venlafaxine (Effexor) and fluoxetine (Prozac, Sarafem) produce fewer sideeffects than do the tricyclic antidepressants but generally aren't considered effective for tension headaches.

• Other medications. Other medications that may prevent tension headache include

anticonvulsants, such as topiramate (Topamax) and gabapentin (Neurontin), and muscle

relaxants, such as tizanidine (Zanaflex).

Preventive medications may require several weeks or more to build up in your nervous system

before they take effect. So don't get frustrated if you haven't seen improvements shortly after you begin taking the drug — it may take a couple of months or longer. Also be aware that overusing

caffeine or painkillers for acute relief may reduce the effect of a preventive drug.

To obtain the greatest benefit from preventive medication, keep your use of acute pain relieversto a minimum. Your doctor will monitor your treatment to see how the preventive medication is

working. If your headaches are under control, your dose of medication may be reduced gradually

over time.

Lifestyle and home remedies


Rest, ice packs or a long, hot shower may be all you need to relieve a tension headache. A

variety of nonmedication strategies can help reduce the severity and frequency of chronic tensionheadaches. This approach can be a vital part of any treatment plan for headache. Try some of the

following suggestions to see which work best for you.

• Stress management. Stress is a commonly reported trigger for tension headache. One

way to help reduce stress is by planning ahead and organizing your day. Another way is

to allow more time to relax. And if you're caught in a stressful situation, consider stepping back and allowing emotions to settle. A variety of relaxation techniques are

useful in coping with tension headache, including deep breathing and biofeedback. If

anxiety or depression is an issue, behavior therapy may be helpful for dealing with stressand pain.

• Muscle relaxation. Applying heat or ice to sore muscles may ease a tension headache.

Which treatment to apply is a matter of personal preference. Some people find heat moreeffective, while others prefer cold. If heat is your choice, you may use a heating pad set

on low, a hot-water bottle, a warm compress or a hot towel. A hot bath or shower also





may help. If cold is your choice, wrap an ice pack in a cloth before use to protect your

skin.

Massage may help to relieve muscle tension, and it may also provide relief fromheadache pain for some people. Gently massage the muscles of your head, neck and

shoulders with your fingertips. Or have someone else do the massage for you.

• Perfecting your posture. Good posture can help keep your muscles from tensing up. It

places minimal strain on your muscles, ligaments, tendons and bones. Good posturesupports and protects all parts of your body and allows you to move efficiently. When

standing, hold your shoulders back and your head high. Pull in your abdomen and

buttocks and tuck in your chin. When sitting, make sure your thighs are parallel to theground and your head isn't slumped forward.

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