What is tension headache and how to deal with it

What is tension headache

Tension headache is the most commonTension Headache / Medline Plus type of headache. American statisticsTension‑Type Headaches / Cleveland Clinic, it regularly affects two out of every three adults in the United States.

It manifests itself as an aching sensation in the forehead and behind the eyes, sometimes affecting the temples, the back of the head, and even radiating into the shoulders. Doctors describe it like this: as if a wide and too tight hoop was put on her head. In an attempt to get rid of pressing discomfort, people often unconsciously massage their forehead, temples, or lower neck.

This sensation has no additional symptoms such as fever, dizziness. Do not likeTension headache / Mayo Clinic tension headache and migraine: no nausea, vomiting, visual impairment. In addition, the pain does not get worse with physical activity, and hypersensitivity to light or sound is rare.

Is tension headache dangerous?

From a medical point of view, no. This pain is unpleasant because it lasts from 30 minutes to several days, or even months. However, as a rule, it does not cause health problems.

But there is a nuance. Sometimes a tension headache can accompanyTension‑Type Headaches / Cleveland Clinic any disease. For example, malfunctions in the thyroid gland, chronic migraine, tumors. Therefore, if pressing pain in the head occurs regularly, and even more so if you first encountered it at the age of 50, you should consult a general practitioner or neurologist.

When to seek immediate help

Urgently dialTension headache / Mayo Clinic 103 or 112 if you experience these symptoms:

• severe severe headache;
• headache is accompanied by a temperature above 38 ° C, a feeling of petrification in the muscles of the neck, confusion, convulsions, double vision, severe weakness and numbness of the body, problems with speech;
• pain, especially intensifying, appeared after a head injury.

These signs indicate a life-threatening condition such as a stroke, inflammation of the brain, or internal bleeding in the brain.

What is a tension headache

Medics allocateTension‑Type Headaches / Cleveland Clinic its two types:

1. episodic. This is what a tension headache is called if it occurs less than 15 times a month. Symptoms usually come on slowly in the middle of the day and do not last more than a week.
2. Chronic. It is diagnosed if the head hurts more than 15 times a month for three months in a row. In people susceptible to such manifestations, symptoms may be present for months, without improvement for several days.

Chronic tension headaches are much less common than episodic headaches. According to American statistics, no more than 3% of adults report them.

What can cause tension headaches

Long time was consideredTension headache / Mayo Clinicthat pain occurs due to spasm, strong tension facial muscles, neck and head. Actually, this alleged cause gave the name to the condition.

Muscle tension triggers can protrudeTension Headache / Medline Plus:

• Any activity in which the head remains motionless for a long time. This happens, for example, when you write a lot, work with microcircuits or a microscope, stare intensely at the monitor.
• Sleeping in a cold room or in an uncomfortable position.
• Physical or emotional stress.
• Alcohol consumption.
• Excessive addiction to caffeine or, on the contrary, a sharp rejection of it (withdrawal syndrome).
• SARS, influenza, sinusitis and other sinus infections.
• Eye strain.
• Dental problems, such as the habit of clenching your teeth.
• Excessive smoking.

Today, doctors are increasingly inclined to think that there is no single cause for a tension headache. Heredity can play a role, as well as the increased sensitivity of pain receptors, which is characteristic of some people. Well, in some cases, the main diseases listed above.

How to relieve tension headaches

If the pain is mild to moderate and the discomfort lasts no more than a few hours, see a doctor no needTension Headache / Medline Plus. Usually, helpTension‑Type Headaches / Cleveland Clinic simple home methods:

• Apply a cold or hot compress to your forehead, depending on how you feel.
• Try to breathe deeply - this will help you relax.
• Take a rest. Best of all - in a cool dark room. You can turn on relaxing music.
• Take an over-the-counter pain reliever. For example, based on ibuprofen, naproxen sodium or acetylsalicylic acid.

Please note that you need to take painkillers strictly according to the instructions. Do not exceed the dose and do not part (let the medicine work), otherwise side effects are possible. For example, you have maybeMedication overuse headaches / Mayo Clinic develop another type of headache associated with medication. Or your body will simply get used to the painkillers and stop responding to them.

When to See a Doctor

If you take painkillers regularly and more than twice a week, or if the discomfort becomes chronic, you should consult your doctor. First, with a therapist. Or go straight to a neurologist.

Medic will askTension Headache / Mayo Clinic tell you about your symptoms, conduct a neurological examination - check how the reflexes work, if there are any problems with the movement of the eyes and limbs. Perhaps he will offer to undergo an additional examination - MRI or CT of the brain. Such tests are needed to exclude the most dangerous causes of pain - the same tumor.

Then, depending on the results of the examination, you will be offered treatment options. These can be new analgesics, both over-the-counter in some combination, and prescription, based on triptans or opioids. To prevent headaches, your doctor may prescribe antidepressants, anticonvulsants, and muscle relaxants (these drugs help relax your muscles).

Massage, acupuncture and behavioral therapy can also have an effect. Talk about them with the specialist observing you.

What to do to prevent tension headaches

You can't be 100% safe, but eatTension‑Type Headaches / Cleveland Clinic ways to reduce risks.

• Learn to control your stress levels. One of the easiest ways to reduce emotional distress is to plan your day ahead of time and stick to a schedule. In difficult moments, try to take deep breaths and calm down: this also reduces stress levels.
• Don't work non-stop. There must be a place in your life rest. Take a break from work in the evenings and on weekends.
• Get enough sleep, but don't sleep too much. An adult needs about 8 hours of sleep a day.
• When you do long sedentary work, for example at the computer, regularly, once an hour or an hour and a half, stretch your neck and shoulders.
• Watch your posture. Correct helps to avoid excessive muscle tension.
• Drink enough liquid: for example, a cup every 2 hours.
• Quit smoking.
• Limit your intake of alcohol, caffeine, and sugar.
• If you get a tension headache in the morning, try changing your pillow or finding a more comfortable sleeping position.
• Keep an active lifestyle: move more every day and exercise at least three times a week.

Ekaterina Komissarova