Understanding Tension Headaches

Tension headaches can be episodic or chronic. Seek relief from over-the-counter pain remedies or prescription medication.

Headaches are one of the most common and universal physical ailments.  Ranging from minor stress-induced aches to more serious and chronic migraines, headaches can be one of the most annoying and persistent of medical nuisances.  Tension headaches are the most commonly reported of all headaches, afflicting upwards of 90% of women and 70% of men.  Most tension headaches are reported to have pain radiating from the neck, eyes, and back.

Video: Symptoms of Tension versus Migraine Headache

Managing Pain from Tension Headaches

Tension headaches can be either temporary (otherwise known as episodic) or chronic.  Episodic tension headaches are classified as occurring less than 15 days out of a month, while chronic tension-type headaches reoccur for 15 or more days in a month for longer than a 6-month period.  These headaches can last for short periods or even days at a time, though most last an average of 5 hours.

The moniker “tension” likely comes from pains being most frequently described as a squeezing or pressure sensations around the affected area(s).  Causes for this type of headache range from stress to lack of sleep to withdrawal from caffeine.  They can even result from emotional conflicts you may be experiencing or depression.  Often, a combination of factors contributes to the onset of a tension headache.  Past research into this area focused on muscle tensions as the primary cause of this type of headache.  More recent research, however, has focused on increased pain sensitivity and pain processing in the central nervous system.  Pain processing demonstrated to be abnormal in this region has generally indicated a greater likelihood for chronic tension-type headaches in those studied.

Treatment for Tension Headaches

Traditional treatments for temporary and episodic tension-type headaches are over-the-counter pain reducing medications, like ibuprofen or aspirin.  Some of the most popular brands are Tylenol, Motrin, and Aleve.  Studies have shown that these pain relievers are more effective against this type of headache than other kinds of drugs.  For chronic and migraine headaches, medications containing amitriptyline, mirtazapine, and sodium valproate are often prescribed. 

Alternative therapies, though, for treating tension headaches are becoming increasingly popular.  These include acupuncture and different types of manual therapy (i.e., soft tissue therapy or spinal manipulation).  Also, treatments like psychological counseling and relaxation practices are being recommended more and more to try to address any underlying issues that may be triggering the headaches.  Before trying any alternative or experimental therapies, it is recommended that you seek the advice and guidance of your doctor.

Video: Treatment for Neck Pain and Headaches

It's important to monitor the frequency, duration, and severity of headaches you may be experiencing.  Anything that seems extreme or out of the ordinary should be reported to your doctor.  When tension headaches occur independent of other more serious conditions, they are likely to be best treated by traditional, over-the-counter remedies. 

Many doctors recommend maintaining regular habits (like a sleep schedule, exercise routine, and eating pattern) to combat any lifestyle issues that may be causing the headaches.  If you're taking the maximum dosage of an over-the-counter remedy and not seeing any significant results, it's recommend that you speak with your doctor.  Be sure you pay attention to your body and how it is responding to the medications you use.  You will be the best judge of which treatments are effective and which are not.