What is a tension headache

Tension headache is a type of headache. I believe many friends don’t know much about tension headache. So what is tension headache? Next, this article will introduce you to the relevant content of tension headaches, so that you can understand what tension headaches are. Friends who want to know what tension headaches are can take a look together! Please see the detailed introduction below.

Tension headaches are also called muscle contraction headaches. A feeling of tightness, pressure, or dull pain in the head, more typically with a band-like sensation. As a transient disorder, tension headaches are often related to stress in daily life, but if they persist, they may be one of the characteristic symptoms of anxiety or depression.

Tension headaches are caused by prolonged contraction of the muscles in the head and neck. This contraction can be caused by:

1. As a result of anxiety or depression accompanied by mental stress;

2. As a secondary symptom of headache or pain in other parts of the body due to other reasons;

3. Caused by poor posture of the head, neck and shoulder girdle.

This disease is more common in young and middle-aged people, and children can also get the disease, without any difference between males and females. The symptoms are mild at the beginning of the disease, and then gradually become significantly worse. The clinical characteristics of tension-type headache are dull pain in the head without pulsation. The headache is located in the top, temporal, forehead and occipital region, and sometimes there is pain in the above-mentioned parts. The degree of headache is mild or moderate, and is not aggravated by physical activity. Patients often complain of tight pressure on the top of the head or a feeling of tightness on the head. In addition, the occipital and neck area are tight and stiff, which is particularly obvious when turning the neck. There is no fear of light or phonophobia. A small number of patients are accompanied by mild irritability or depression. Physical examination including neurological examination shows no positive signs. The muscles around the skull, such as the occipital muscles, the top of the head and the upper shoulder muscles are often tender. Sometimes gently massage the muscles and the patient feels relaxed and comfortable. There should be no abnormalities in the brain CT or MRI, and there is no hypertension or obvious ENT diseases.

How are tension headaches treated?

1. Drug treatment

Since the pathogenesis of tension-type headaches is unclear, mild non-narcotic analgesics are often used as medications. To relieve symptoms, mainly non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Other drugs include appropriate amounts of muscle relaxants and mild sedatives, and antidepressants are also often used depending on the condition. It is usually given orally and used for a short period of time to avoid drug toxicity and side effects.

2. Non-drug treatment

Tension headaches can be improved with physical therapy. The treatment plan adopted by some scholars includes four parts:

(1) Train the correct neck and head posture when sitting, standing, sleeping and working.

(2) Practice improving head position and prone position exercises at home to strengthen the muscles at the back of the neck, and place an ice pack on the back of the neck.

(3) Massage the back and shoulders with medium to deep pressure for 2 minutes.

(4) Passively stretch the scalenes, upper trapezius, levator humeri, and pectoralis muscles for 5 minutes.

The above is an introduction to what tension headaches are. I believe that after reading the above introduction, you have already learned some relevant knowledge about tension headaches. From the above introduction, we have learned in detail the definition, symptoms, causes and treatments of tension headaches. This knowledge can help us better understand the disease of tension headaches.