Tension headache is a pressing, pressing pain over the forehead and around the head. It is the most common form of headache . There are many things in life that can trigger tension headaches, including lack of sleep, stress, poor posture and poor eyesight.
Causes of tension headaches
Tension headaches can be due to tense muscles in the neck and around the head, hence the name. However, not everyone gets tension headaches due to muscle tension, and the causes of this type of headache are not completely clear. It is likely that both heredity and environmental factors are important. Tension headaches are slightly more common among women and usually debut at the age of 20 to 40 years. It is uncommon to get tension headaches for the first time after the age of 50, and therefore doctors are then more vigilant if it happens.
Symptoms of tension headache
Signs of tension headaches are, for example:
- dull, aching headache
- a mild to moderate ache that is felt on both sides of the head
- a pressing sensation in a band over the forehead, on the sides and back of the head
Tension headaches are divided into episodic and chronic. Episodic tension headaches last anywhere from half an hour to a week, but not more often than 15 days a month.
Chronic tension headache
Tension headaches are classified as chronic if you have pain more than 15 days a month for at least six months. In addition to the symptoms above, you may also experience any of the following:
- Soreness in the scalp, neck, jaw muscles or shoulders
- Fatigue, dizziness, tinnitus, memory problems and difficulty concentrating
Chronic tension headache is similar to other long-term pain syndromes, and can be partly explained by a hypersensitivity to pain signals. This makes pain felt stronger than normal.
What can I do myself?
If you have recurring problems with tension headaches, it may be a good idea to keep a pain diary. You fill in the date, time, symptoms, severity (for example on a scale from 1-10), which treatment you used and how it worked. You can also write down what you think may have triggered the headache at that specific time. There are many lifestyle factors that can affect you, and here are some things to keep in mind to prevent headaches:
- slept enough, but not too much
- do not smoke
- Exercise regularly, preferably heart rate and strength training
- review and make improvements in your working position
- take breaks if you sit in front of a computer for long periods of time
- examine the vision of an optician
- Eat regular and balanced meals
- drink a lot of water
- cut down on alcohol, caffeine and sugar
Treatment for tension headaches
In most cases, tension headaches go away on their own, or with over-the-counter medications. Be careful not to use this medicine too often, this also applies to over-the-counter medicines, as it may cause you to have more headaches.For more severe forms of tension headaches, you may need prescription drugs. It is also very important to implement lifestyle changes that can reduce the discomfort in the long run. It is easy to skip training when the head hurts, for example, but getting started with training is a change that often has a very good effect. To treat headaches that come often and for a long time, it is also often relevant with other treatments such as:
- Physiotherapy, especially helps against tense muscles, for improved body awareness and for help with exercises.
- Relaxation training can reduce the experience of stress and headaches. Given by a psychologist.
- Acupuncture can reduce symptoms in some people.
- Treatment with a naprapath or chiropractor.
When should I seek care?
In most cases, it is not necessary to seek care, as the headache goes away on its own or with the help of over-the-counter medications. But you should seek medical attention if any of the following are true:
- If you have tension headaches so often that it affects your everyday life, or if you need to take tension headache medication more than twice a week.
- If you are over 50 years old and get a headache that feels different than something you have had before.
Seek emergency care if you have any of the following:
- headache after a blow to the head, especially if it gets worse and worse.
- intense headache that comes suddenly and that you do not recognize since before.
- headache and other symptoms such as fever , stiff neck, cramps, double vision, weakness, numbness or double vision.