The Most Common Headache of All - Tension Headache
Are you a thirty five year old woman? Then I'm afraid you're a prime candidate for a tension headache.
Quick facts about tension headaches
The strict definition is that they occur on less than 15 days a month.
They are usually short-lived, lasting from a few painful minutes to a couple of hours.
Over 60% of sufferers also have tenderness in their scalp and neck muscles.
If your episodic headaches increase in frequency, you may be heading for...
...
Chronic These happen on more than 15 days a month for at least three months.
Chronic tension headache is not as common as episodic - but twice as many women than men have this form.
In both categories, the headache lasts for about the same length of time but for the unfortunate chronic sufferers, the pain can be daily.
Tension headaches are depressing If you have chronic tension headaches, you are more likely than non-sufferers to be anxious or depressed.
It's a chicken-and-egg situation though - is it the depression that causes the headaches or the other way around? If you do have depression, getting some form of treatment for it can help with the headaches.
Most common causes of tension headache
If you've skipped a meal, have something to eat and that might be all it takes.
Getting out of a stressful situation can relieve it.
You may find that simple, over-the-counter medications will get rid of it fairly quickly - aspirin, Advil or Tylenol are commonly used.
If this doesn't help, you may wish to visit your doctor for a stronger prescription.
Try to limit your use of painkillers as they can stop working if used for too long.
If you take too many, they can also start to give you rebound headaches so you're just swapping one type of headache for another! If I don't take pills - what else is there? Acupuncture has been shown to help.
See the American Academy of Medical Acupuncture web site to find a medical doctor in your area who uses acupuncture in their practice.
Aromatherapy may help to relieve tension headaches.
Lavender oil is probably the easiest to use as it can be put straight onto the pulse points of the skin.
Peppermint and ginger are also good and worth trying to see which works best.
Quick facts about tension headaches
- They are the most common type of headache
- Occur more in women (90%) than men (70%)
- Most common in 30 - 39 year olds
- Usually develop in the morning and get worse as the day goes on
- Often described as a tight band around the head
- Can also cause pain at the bottom of your skull and the back of your neck
The strict definition is that they occur on less than 15 days a month.
They are usually short-lived, lasting from a few painful minutes to a couple of hours.
Over 60% of sufferers also have tenderness in their scalp and neck muscles.
If your episodic headaches increase in frequency, you may be heading for...
...
Chronic These happen on more than 15 days a month for at least three months.
Chronic tension headache is not as common as episodic - but twice as many women than men have this form.
In both categories, the headache lasts for about the same length of time but for the unfortunate chronic sufferers, the pain can be daily.
Tension headaches are depressing If you have chronic tension headaches, you are more likely than non-sufferers to be anxious or depressed.
It's a chicken-and-egg situation though - is it the depression that causes the headaches or the other way around? If you do have depression, getting some form of treatment for it can help with the headaches.
Most common causes of tension headache
- Stress
- Missing a meal
- Bad posture
- Lack of exercise
- Anxiety and depression
- Sometimes hormonal changes in women
- Ironically - taking too many painkillers for headaches!
- Grinding your teeth at night (see your Dentist for help with this)
If you've skipped a meal, have something to eat and that might be all it takes.
Getting out of a stressful situation can relieve it.
You may find that simple, over-the-counter medications will get rid of it fairly quickly - aspirin, Advil or Tylenol are commonly used.
If this doesn't help, you may wish to visit your doctor for a stronger prescription.
Try to limit your use of painkillers as they can stop working if used for too long.
If you take too many, they can also start to give you rebound headaches so you're just swapping one type of headache for another! If I don't take pills - what else is there? Acupuncture has been shown to help.
See the American Academy of Medical Acupuncture web site to find a medical doctor in your area who uses acupuncture in their practice.
Aromatherapy may help to relieve tension headaches.
Lavender oil is probably the easiest to use as it can be put straight onto the pulse points of the skin.
Peppermint and ginger are also good and worth trying to see which works best.
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