Tension headaches are considered the most common of type of headache occurring among the widest population. They are characterized by mild, moderate, or intense pain. In extreme cases, they extend to the neck and the region behind your eyes. In some people, tension headaches feel like a tight band around their forehead. Majority of the people experiencing tension headaches also have episodic pain averagely twice every month. In extreme cases, tension headaches last for more than 2 weeks every month and affect up to 3% of Americans.
Overview
Tension headaches are at times, referred to as; stress headaches and affect more women than men. Women are twice likely to be affected than men. While to some people, they come as a clamp squeezing the skull, to others it feels like a tight band tied across their head. Whether episodic or chronic, they can last for as little as 30 minutes to as long as a few days. They are common from around the middle of the day when they begin and grow gradually to affect your regular daily duties.
The sad thing is that although it may reduce in the day, it is almost always there all day. Chronic tension headaches come and go over a longer period compared to episodic ones. Luckily, tension headaches do not stop you from going on with your daily activities. They will not be affecting your vision, balance, or strength.
Approximately 80% of American adults experience these headaches occasionally. Of these, 3% have continuous chronic tension headaches. While episodic tension pain is common and mostly ignored, chronic pain can last up to three months. Some people learn to live it with it.
Causes of Tension Headaches
There is no conclusive cause for tension headaches. They are triggered by a wide variety of stress and strenuous issues. Stress may arise from work, family, friends, school, and other issues you are engaged with that are strenuous. A single stressful situation allowed to build up quickly causes an episodic tension headache. If you are exposed to daily stress you are at high risk of chronic tension headache.
The main cause of tension headaches is muscle contraction in the head and neck regions. The contractions arise due to various determinant factors too. The factors leading to muscle contractions range from consuming certain foods, activities, or stressors. Other minor activities range with people depending on their resilience. For example, staring at a computer screen for a long time or driving for a long time may result in tension headaches. Extreme cold temperatures may also trigger a tension headache.
Other triggers include; alcohol, caffeine, poor posture, a sinus infection, eyestrain, dry eyes, fatigue, smoking, cold or flu, emotional stress. Not getting enough rest, hunger, low iron levels, and dental problems are also likely causes of tension headaches.
The cause of tightened muscles around the neck and shoulders is yet to be found. The tightened muscles accompany tension headaches but are not part of the headache. The clear cause has not been determined yet.
Luckily, tension headaches are not transferable via genes. You will not be inheriting any tension headache from your parents. They do not run in families because they are circumstantial. Unless you share the weight of the same problem, you will not be experiencing tension headaches. This is also highly unlikely because people are affected differently by stressful occurrences. For example, a woman is twice more likely to be affected by a tension headache over an issue more than a man.
Symptoms of a Tension Headache
The main symptoms you will be experiencing are:
- Tenderness around the forehead and scalp
- Mild to moderate pressure around the forehead
- Early morning headaches
- Dull head pain and muscle aches
- Irritability and tiredness
- Trouble focusing
- Sensitivity to bright light or loud noise
Unlike migraines, you will not be experiencing nerve issues like muscle weakness or blurred vision. Sensitivity to light or noise will not be as severe as in migraines. You will only have mild reactions. Stomach pain, nausea, and vomiting are associated with migraines and not tension headaches. If you experience the excessive signs, it is important to seek medical attention from a professional.
The Pain
Tension headaches have various results. They start at the back of the head spreading forward to your forehead and back of the eyes. They also spread to the neck causing mild discomfort but not enough to stop from proceeding with your daily tasks. They affect both sides of the head equally and make the muscles feel tight and sore. Your neck and shoulders will therefore, be quickly affected.
Tension Headache Treatment
Treating tension headaches when they are still mild is extremely important. It is the best way to stop further occurrences. Preventing future pain is what we all want but it needs dedication to measures.
Home Care
To rid your head from new episodic tension, take over-the-counter pain medications like ibuprofen and aspirin. Remember to use them occasionally, over consumption of these drugs will only get you addicted. Your body will require higher doses every time. This will result in rebound headaches from over use. Rebound headaches result from being accustomed to medication. The pain rises when the drugs wear off causing you to crave for more.
If over-the-counter pain relievers do not help, your doctor may prescribe the following:
- Ketorolac
- Naproxen
- Opiates
- Indomethacin
- Acetaminophen
Treatment for Chronic Tension Headache
For chronic tension headaches, the strong painkillers may fail to be effective in some people. Doctors choose muscle relaxants instead or in addition. The relaxants help to stop muscle contractions as they work like antidepressants. Some of the reliable medications include selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI). They can stabilize your brain’s levels of serotonin and help cope with stress, which is the source of tension headaches.
Other treatments doctors prescribe are; stress management classes and acupuncture. Stress management classes may take a long time to complete but also come with long term solutions to help you prevent future episodes. By managing stress, you will avoid future occurrences. This is more effective and helpful method compared to direct curative measures such as pain relievers.
Pain relievers do not stop future occurrences of tension headaches yet we are all susceptible to them. Acupuncture, on the other hand, is an effective eastern alternative therapy. The fine needles on pressure points are a quick and verified solution to pain. For a long time, acupuncture has historically been used to eliminate pain on various parts of the body. In this case, the needles will be placed around the neck region and shoulders.
Supplements
You may also treat tension headaches using some supplements. They are known to relieve chronic tension headaches acting as a good dietary alternative. It is however, not wise to use supplements alongside conventional medications because they cause reactions due to poor interactions.
The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health prescribes the following supplements to help prevent tension headaches.
- Magnesium
- Coenzyme Q10
- Feverfew
- Butterbur
- Riboflavin (vitamin B-2)
Other solutions to tension headaches include;
- Relaxing the tense muscles through taking a hot bath or shower
- Improve your posture to avoid persistent headaches
- Application of a heating pad or ice pack onto your forehead for up to 10 minutes frequently.
- If you work on a computer, take frequent breaks to prevent eye strain
These are some of the practical measures you may maintain at home even though they may not completely eliminate the headaches. To prevent more headaches, you need to work on the triggers. Consider the triggers of your tension headaches and find a way to prevent those issues from occurring.
Conclusion
Luckily, tension headaches respond well to treatment and do not cause permanent neurological damage. There is therefore, nothing to worry about in case you experience them. You can create enough time and measures to eliminate them over time. If you ignore the headaches, they will destroy your peace and reduce the quality of life. You will be inactive and unable to participate in fun activities.
Seek medical attention if the symptoms persist. If you ignore medical attention, you will experience chronic symptoms such as slurred speech, loss of balance, and high fever.