A tension-type headache (TTH) often feels like a tight band wrapping around the head and ranges in intensity from mild to severe. The most frequent sort of headache is a tension headache. However, it needs to be clarified what causes them.
There are remedies for headaches of this kind. Finding a balance between good habits, non-drug solutions, and proper medication use is crucial to managing tension-type headaches.
Symptoms
Tension-type headache warning signs and symptoms include:
- Dull, throbbing headache
- Feeling of pressure or tightness on the sides and back of the head or across the forehead
- Muscle sensitivity in the shoulders, neck, and scalp
There are two primary classifications of tension-type headaches: episodic and chronic.
Periodic Headaches
Periodic headaches might last anywhere from 30 minutes to a week. Less than 15 days a month for at least three months, frequent episodic tension-type headaches occur. Chronic headaches of the tension variety may develop after repeated episodes.
Chronic Headaches
Chronic headaches last at least three months and happen 15 days a month.
migraines vs. headaches of this kind
It might be challenging to tell tension-type headaches apart from migraines. Additionally, migraines might develop if you often get episodic headaches of the tension kind.
Contrary to several migraine subtypes, tension headaches often don’t come with visual abnormalities, nausea, or vomiting. Although exercise often makes migraine pain worse, tension-type headache discomfort is unaffected. A tension-type headache may be accompanied by increased sensitivity to light or sound, although this symptom is uncommon.
When To See A Doctor
Consult a doctor if tension-type headaches interfere with your life or if you need headache medicine more than twice a week.
If your headache pattern changes or they start to feel different suddenly, even if you have a history of headaches, consult your doctor. Sometimes, severe medical conditions like a brain tumor or the rupture of an aneurysm might be detected by headaches.
When To Seek Emergency Assistance
Seek immediate assistance if you experience any of the following symptoms or signs:
- Sudden, intense headache
- Headache and fever, stiff neck, mental disorientation, convulsions, double vision, weakness, numbness, or trouble speaking
- Headache after a head injury, particularly if it intensifies
Causes
It is unknown what causes tension-type headaches. Previously, experts believed that tension-type headaches were caused by facial, neck, and scalp muscular spasms, possibly due to heightened emotions, tension, or stress. However, according to a study, the culprit isn’t muscular contraction.
According to the most widely accepted view, those who get tension-type headaches have heightened pain sensitivity. A sensitized pain system may cause increased muscular discomfort, a typical symptom of tension-type headaches.
Triggers
The most frequent cause of tension-type headaches is stress.
Complications
Because tension headaches are so frequent, they significantly impact quality of life and work performance, especially if they are chronic. The persistent discomfort could prevent you from participating in activities. You may not be able to go to work, or if you can, your performance could be compromised.
Prevention
Techniques like biofeedback training and relaxation treatment may assist in lowering stress in addition to routine exercise.
Biofeedback Training
This method teaches you how to manage specific bodily reactions that lessen discomfort. During a biofeedback session, you are linked to equipment that tracks and provides input on physical processes, including muscular tension, heart rate, and blood pressure. Then, you learn how to control your breathing and heart rate while releasing muscular tension.
The Cognitive Behavioral Approach
Talk therapy like this one might teach you how to control your stress levels and lessen the frequency and intensity of your headaches.
Other Methods Of Relaxation
Deep breathing, yoga, meditation, and progressive muscle relaxation are among the relaxation techniques that may reduce headaches. You may learn relaxation methods in a classroom setting or at home using books, videos, or apps.
If you get tension-type headaches, using medication and stress-reduction strategies may be more beneficial than either therapy.
A healthy lifestyle may also aid in preventing headaches:
- Sleep well, but not too much.
- Avoid smoking.
- Regularly moving about
- Frequently have balanced meals
- Drink a lot of water.
- Limit your intake of alcohol, caffeine, and sweets
Diagnosis
If you have frequent headaches, your doctor may order physical and neurological tests before attempting to identify the specific kind and origin of your headaches using the following methods:
Your Pain Narrative
An account of your suffering might tell your doctor a lot about your headaches. Include the following specifics:
Features Of Pain
Does your discomfort pulse? Or is it persistently dull, acute, or stabbing?
Pain Level
How much you can function when you have a headache is a fair indication of how bad it is.
Can You Perform A Job?
Do your headaches keep you awake or keep you from falling asleep?
Pain Areas
Do you have discomfort in all areas of your head, just on one side, your forehead, or just behind your eyes?
Imaging Tests
To rule out significant causes of head pain, such as a tumour, your doctor may request tests if you have uncommon or difficult headaches. Your brain may be visualised using two typical tests, which are as follows:
- Magnetic resonance imaging or MRI. A magnetic field, radio waves, and computer technologies are all used in an MRI scan to provide crisp pictures.
- CT, or computer tomography. A CT scan is a diagnostic imaging treatment that gives you a thorough image of your brain using computer-directed X-rays.
Treatment
Some people who get tension-type headaches choose not to contact a doctor and instead attempt to manage the pain independently. Unfortunately, frequent over-the-counter painkillers may lead to a different kind of headache called a drug overuse headache.
acute remedies
There are several drugs, both prescription and over-the-counter, that may be used to lessen the discomfort of a headache, including:
- Drugs that reduce pain. The initial line of therapy for headache pain reduction often uses simple painkillers that are accessible over the counter. Aspirin, ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, and other brands), and naproxen sodium (Aleve) are a few of them.
- Medicines in combination. Caffeine or a sedative medication is often included with aspirin, acetaminophen (Tylenol, other brands), or both in a single prescription. Drugs with many ingredients may be more effective than those with only one. Numerous combination medications are available over the counter.
- Drugs and triptans. A triptan may successfully treat the discomfort of episodic tension-type headaches and migraines in persons who get both headaches. Narcotics, often known as opioids, are seldom utilized due to their adverse effects and risk for addiction.
Preventative drugs
If you have frequent headaches not helped by painkillers and other treatments, your doctor may recommend drugs to lessen the frequency and intensity of episodes.
Preventive drugs may consist of:
- Tricyclic mood stabilizers. Amitriptyline and protriptyline are two of the most used tricyclic antidepressants for treating tension headaches. These drugs may have diarrhoea, sleepiness, and dry mouth as side effects.
- More antidepressants. The antidepressants venlafaxine (Effexor XR) and mirtazapine (Remeron) are also supported by research.
- Muscle relaxants and anticonvulsants. Anticonvulsants like topiramate (Topamax, Qsymia, other anticonvulsants) and gabapentin are other drugs that may reduce tension-type headaches. More research is required.
Before taking action, preventive drugs may need to build up in your system for a few weeks or more. Therefore, don’t give up if you haven’t experienced any changes soon after starting a medication.
Your doctor will closely watch your therapy to see how well the preventative drug works. The effectiveness of the preventive medications might be hampered in the interim by excessive usage of painkillers for headaches. Enquire with your doctor about how often you should use painkillers when using preventative medicine.