What do tension headaches mean

Symptoms can start in childhood, but they are more likely to occur during middle age. Some people have both tension headaches and migraine headaches. Doctors don't know for sure what causes tension headaches. Experts once thought that tension or spasms in the muscles of the neck, face, and head played a role.

Now they think that a change in brain chemicals also may be a cause. Tension headaches are one of the most common types of headaches. They can be brought on—or triggered—by things such as stress, depression, hunger, and muscle strain. Tension headaches may come on suddenly or slowly. This is different than migraine headaches, which usually cause throbbing pain and start on one side of your head.

Pain from a tension headache is usually not severe and does not get in the way of your work or social life. But for some people, the pain is very bad or lasts a long time. A doctor can usually diagnose tension headaches by asking you questions about your health and lifestyle and by examining you. Most people can treat their tension headaches with over-the-counter pain relievers like acetaminophen such as Tylenol or aspirin such as Bayer.

But if you take these pain relievers more than 3 times a week, you may get rebound headaches. These are different from tension headaches. Rebound headaches usually start after pain medicine has worn off, which leads you to take another dose. After a while, you get a headache whenever you stop taking the medicine. Even with treatment, most people still have some headaches.

But with treatment, you will probably have them less often. And when you do get them, they probably won't be as bad. The cause of tension headaches is not clear. In the past, doctors believed that tension or spasms of the muscles of the neck, face, jaw, head, or scalp played a role in causing these headaches.

Now they think a change in brain chemistry may also help cause a tension headache. Tension headaches are the most common type of headache. They can be brought on—or triggered —by things such as stress, depression , hunger, and muscle strain. Chronic tension headaches often occur along with other health problems such as anxiety or depression.

Unlike migraines , tension headaches usually don't occur with nausea, vomiting, or feeling sensitive to both light and noise. But light or noise could make your headache worse. Tension headaches usually aren't bad enough to keep you from doing your daily activities. Call or other emergency services if:. Watchful waiting is a wait-and-see approach.

If your headache gets better on its own, you won't need treatment. If it gets worse or you get headaches often, you and your doctor will decide what to do next. Watchful waiting and using over-the-counter pain medicines work well if your tension headaches don't keep you from doing the things you want to do. But if your headaches are disrupting your life, talk to your doctor about other treatments that you could try.

Most health professionals can recognize and treat tension headaches. You may seek treatment from any of the following:. If you think that your headaches are caused by depression or anxiety , talk to your doctor.

Treating these problems may help reduce how bad your headaches are and how often you get them. It can be hard to know which type of headache you have, because different types can have the same symptoms. But the treatments may be different, so it's important to find out which type you have. In very rare cases, headaches can be caused by more serious health problems such as brain tumors or aneurysms.

But most headaches aren't caused by anything serious, so you probably won't need to have tests. Medicines can help you feel better. But they can also be dangerous, especially if you don't take them the right way.

Be safe with medicines. Read and follow all instructions on the label. Your doctor may recommend that you take a prescription medicine every day to prevent headaches. You may want to try a prescription medicine to prevent a headache if:.

Your doctor may have you try one or more medicines, such as an antidepressant or a medicine that prevents seizures. These medicines can help prevent headaches even if you don't have depression or seizures. You may be able to prevent or reduce tension headaches by learning what causes your headaches and trying to avoid those triggers.

For more information, see Living With Tension Headaches. How you think can affect how you feel. So finding ways to relax and stop negative thoughts may help prevent headaches. If you continue to have tension headaches while you are getting treatment, you and your doctor may want to try another treatment. You may have to try different drugs or doses.

If you have already tried several medicines, your doctor may order tests such as an MRI or CT scan to find out if a health problem is causing your headaches. Finding and avoiding the things—or triggers—that lead to tension headaches can reduce how often you get headaches and how bad they are when you do get them.

Headache triggers can include:. Using a headache diary can help you find your triggers. You write down when you have a headache and how bad it is, along with details such as what you ate and what you were doing before the headache started.

This information can help you avoid things that bring on your headaches. Some people develop tension headaches after staring at a computer screen for a long time or after driving for long periods.

Cold temperatures may also trigger a tension headache. The pain is usually mild or moderate, but it can also be intense. In this case, you might confuse your tension headache with a migraine. This is a type of headache that causes throbbing pain on one or both sides of your head.

In rare cases, a tension headache can lead to sensitivity to light and loud noise, similar to migraines. In severe cases, your healthcare provider may run tests to rule out other problems, such as a brain tumor. Tests used to check for other conditions may include a CT scan , which uses X-rays to take pictures of your internal organs. Your healthcare provider may also use an MRI, which allows them to examine your soft tissues.

You can start by drinking more water. You may be dehydrated and need to increase your water intake. Lack of sleep can lead to tension headaches. If none of those strategies work, then you can take over-the-counter OTC pain medications, such as ibuprofen or aspirin , to get rid of a tension headache.

However, these should only be used occasionally. These types of headaches occur when you become so accustomed to a medication that you experience pain when the drugs wear off. OTC drugs are sometimes not enough to treat recurring tension headaches. In such cases, your healthcare provider may give you a prescription for medication, such as:.

Jensen RH. Tension-type headache - the normal and most prevalent headache. PMID: www. Rozental JM. Tension-type headache, chronic tension-type headache, and other chronic headache types. Essentials of Pain Medicine. Editorial team. Tension headache. Other triggers of tension headaches include: Physical or emotional stress Alcohol use Caffeine too much or withdrawal Colds, the flu, or a sinus infection Dental problems such as jaw clenching or teeth grinding Eye strain Excessive smoking Fatigue or overexertion Tension headaches can occur when you also have a migraine.

The headache pain may be described as: Dull, pressure-like not throbbing A tight band or vise on or around the head All over not just in one point or one side Worse in the scalp, temples, or back of the neck, and possibly in the shoulders The pain may occur once, constantly, or daily. You may have difficulty sleeping. Tension headaches usually do not cause nausea or vomiting. Exams and Tests. A key step in doing this involves learning to manage your tension headaches at home by: Keeping a headache diary to help you identify your headache triggers so that you and your health care provider can make changes in your lifestyle to reduce the number of headaches you get Learning what to do to relieve a headache when it starts Learning how to take your headache medicines the correct way Medicines that may relieve a tension headache include: Over-the-counter OTC pain medicines, such as aspirin, ibuprofen, or acetaminophen Narcotic pain relievers are generally not recommended Muscle relaxers Tricyclic antidepressants to prevent recurrences Be aware that: Taking medicines more than 3 days a week may lead to rebound headaches.

These are headaches that keep coming back due to overuse of pain medicine. Taking too much acetaminophen can damage your liver. Too much ibuprofen or aspirin can irritate your stomach or damage the kidneys.

Back to Health A to Z. A tension-type headache is the most common type of headache and the one we think of as a normal everyday headache. It may feel like a constant ache that affects both sides of the head. You may also feel the neck muscles tighten and a feeling of pressure behind the eyes. A tension headache normally is not severe enough to prevent you doing everyday activities. It usually lasts for 30 minutes to several hours, but can last for several days.

Some adults have tension-type headaches more than 15 times a month for at least 3 months in a row. There's usually no need to see a GP if you only get occasional headaches. But see a GP if you get headaches several times a week or they're severe. They'll ask questions about your headaches, family history, diet and lifestyle to help diagnose the type of headache you have.

These symptoms suggest there could be a more serious problem, which may require further investigation and emergency treatment. The exact cause of tension-type headaches is not clear, but certain things have been known to trigger them.