Tension Headache

A tension headache is a condition involving pain or discomfort in the head, scalp, or neck, usually associated with muscle tightness in these areas. The pain can radiate from the neck, back, eyes, or other muscle groups in the body. Many people liken the feeling to having a tight band around their head. A tension headache may also cause pain in the back of your neck at the base of your skull. A tension headache generally produces a diffuse, usually mild to moderate pain over your head. A tension headache may occur on an episodic basis (less than 15 days per month) or on a chronic basis (daily or more than 15 days per month). More than 90% of people who see a doctor for headache pain have one of these types. Primary headaches are usually harmless, but they may come back again and again. Most people with episodic tension headaches have them no more than once or twice a month, but the headaches can occur more frequently. Migraine headache, on the other hand, is described as a unilateral pain, generally accompanied with nausea and vomiting, with the pain characterized as throbbing or pulsating. Managing a tension headache is often a balance between fostering healthy habits, finding effective nondrug treatments and using medications appropriately. In addition, a number of preventive, self-care and alternative treatments may help you deal with headache pain.

Although headache pain sometimes can be severe, in most cases it's not the result of an underlying disease. With a complete history and physical examination, a doctor can correctly diagnose and treat a great majority of headaches. Tension headaches are more common among women than men. These headaches are sometimes called stress headaches, muscle contraction headaches, daily headaches, or chronic non-progressive headaches. More than 10 million people a year visit a doctor or an emergency department because of headache. Usually, pain from a tension headache is mild to moderate and doesn't keep you from performing your daily tasks. In many cases, there's no clear cause for a tension headache. Fortunately, effective treatments for tension headaches are available. People with chronic tension-type headache have an average headache frequency of 15 days a month or 180 days a year for 6 months and must also meet the criteria for episodic tension-type headache. In addition, people with chronic tension-type headache must not have another disorder as shown by physical and neurologic examination.

Causes of Tension Headache

The common Causes of Tension-headache :

• Sleep deprivation
• Uncomfortable stressful position and/or bad posture
• Irregular meal time (hunger)
• Other causes include eye strain, fatigue , alcohol use , excessive smoking, excessive caffeine use, sinus infection , nasal congestion , overexertion, colds , and influenza .
• In fact, depression may be an underlying cause in some people with chronic tension headaches.
• Any activity that causes the head to be held in one position for a long time without moving can cause a headache.
• Eyestrain .
• Although people may have tenderness of the muscles surrounding the head, tension-type headache is not the result of sustained muscle contraction.

Symptoms of Tension Headache

Some common Symptoms of Tension-headache :

• Difficulty concentrating.
• Headache upon awakening .
• Loss of appetite.
• General muscle aches.
• Occasional dizziness .
• Chronic fatigue.
• Feels like a tight band or vise on the head.
• Tenderness on the scalp, neck and shoulder muscles.
• Mild sensitivity to light or noise.
• Occurs as an isolated incident, or occurs constantly or daily .

Treatment of Tension Headache

• Frequent use of medications to treat symptoms of headache may actually cause episodic tension-type headache to become chronic in nature.
• Episodic tension-type headaches generally respond well to over-the-counter analgesics , such as paracetamol , ibuprofen or aspirin .
• Treatment of headache must be tailored for individual patients.
• Recognition of comorbid illness is essential. Migraine may be associated with TTH, and management overlaps. Other associated conditions may include depression, anxiety, and emotional or adjustment disorders.
• However, these medications should be avoided in cases of chronic tension headache, due to the risk of medication overuse headaches .
• In addition, numerous prescription and non-prescription medications are available treat and prevent headaches. Several medications or combinations of medications may have to be tried to find the best treatmen
• An antidepressant or other medication may be advised for chronic headache.
• Relaxation techniques, such as meditation and yoga
• Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation, a technique that uses mild electrical shocks in an effort to prevent pain signals in the body