Tension Headaches: Causes, Treatments, and Prevention

Tension headaches, also referred to as stress headaches are the most common type of headache. Anyone can get a tension-related headache, but women are more likely to suffer from them than men. The pain from stress headaches can easily interfere with your ability to concentrate, make you feel exhausted, and affect your capacity to get a good night’s sleep.

Symptoms of Tension Headaches

Tension headaches cause mild to moderate pain, and pressure in the base of the skull, forehead, scalp, and temple of the head. The pressure from tension headaches is often compared to a belt or band being tightened around the head. Stress headaches can sometimes be accompanied by tenderness in the neck and shoulders.  

There is no predictable pattern to tension-related headaches. These headaches can occur periodically, or on a daily basis. Each headache episode can last anywhere from a few minutes to several days. Headaches that occur twice a week or more are considered chronic. And those that occur from time-to-time are called episodic.

Causes of Tension Headaches

Tension headaches can come from a variety of sources, and are often the result of emotional and physical stress that people experience during the hustle and bustle of daily life. Some examples these stressors include caring for children, managing finances, family problems, starting a new job, work deadlines, poor diet, and poor sleep habits. Other culprits of tension headaches include eye strain, smoking, caffeine, and alcohol abuse.

Treatment for Tension Headaches

Tension headaches are uncomfortable and painful, but they are not life threatening. These headaches can be successfully managed with over-the-counter (OTC) medications, and simple tweaks in your lifestyle. Typical OTC medications used to manage tension headaches include acetaminophen, aspirin, ibuprofen, and naproxen.

Even though these meds are available without a prescription, if they are not taken properly, they can have adverse side effects such as liver damage and internal bleeding. People who have existing health problems or take other medications should talk to a doctor before taking any over-the-counter medicines.

Also, overuse of over-the-counter pain killers can cause resistance to the drugs, and make them less effective on tension headaches over time.

Prevention of Tension Headaches

Life is full of stress and to think that you can eliminate all of it may be a bit unrealistic. But paying close attention to the things that happen right before the onset of your tension headaches can help you identify triggers, so you can avoid them in the future.

Exercise improves your overall health, and gives you an outlet for your stress. Walking, running, aerobics, swimming, outdoor sports, and biking are all excellent ways to relieve tension. Yoga and Tai Chi use meditative and deep breathing techniques that help keep you centered, relaxed, and can reduce the frequency of tension headaches.

In rare instances, headaches can be caused by health conditions such as head or neck tumors, bleeding in the brain, meningitis, and nerve inflammation. So if your headaches are debilitating, chronic, or accompanied by speech or vision problems, contact a doctor as these symptoms may signal something more serious.