Tension Headache - Symptoms and Treatment

We've all experienced one, that's right, a tension headache. It is the most frequent kind of headache amidst us grown ups. Some of you may call them stress headaches.

Your stress headache could show up routinely (fewer than 15 days each month) or everyday (more than 15 days a month).

These severe headaches can bring about an awful pain, which could last maybe 30 minutes or up to quite a few days.

Who Suffers From Tension Headaches?

About 30%-80% of us adults in the U.S. are afflicted with an unexpected tension head ache; roughly 3% of us, put up with chronic day-to-day stress headaches. I'm sorry ladies, but you guys are two times as likely to experience tension-type headaches as us guys.

What Causes Tension Headaches?

There is no one trigger for your stress headaches. This form of head ache is not a passed down trait that runs in your family. For some of you, your tension headaches are brought on by tightened muscles in the backside of your neck. This muscle tension may be caused by:

• Not enough sleep


• Bad posture


• Emotional or mental stress, as well as depression


• Exhaustion


• Being hungry


• Overexertion

With some of you, stiffened muscles are not the cause of your pressure head aches, and with that, the trigger could be unknown.

For the most part, stress headaches are often brought on by some sort of environmental (outside) or inner stress.

The most common sources of stress involve family members, social interactions, good friends, work, and school. Other examples of stressors include:

• Having a new baby


• Going on a family vacation


• Beginning a new job


• Lose of employment


• Becoming over weight

What Are the Symptoms of Tension Headaches?

Individuals with stress headaches typically report these signs or symptoms:

• Light to moderate discomfort or tension having an effect on the front, top or sides of the their head


• Head ache taking place later on in the day time


• Trouble going to sleep and remaining asleep


• Constant tiredness


• Becoming easily irritated


• Disturbed focus


• Slight level of sensitivity to lighting or sounds


• General muscle weakness

In contrast to migraine headaches, there are no involved neurological signs or symptoms (like muscle weakness or blurred vision) in folks with pressure head aches.

In addition, extreme sensitivity to lighting or noises, stomach discomfort, nausea, and vomiting are not warning signs commonly connected with tension headaches.

Tension Head aches - Treatment Introduction

You can take care of most stress head aches with:

• Over-the-counter pain medications


• Prescribed drugs if you have constant or very severe headaches


• Steering clear of things that set off your headaches


• Meditating and other approaches to reduce your stress

Over-the-counter Medications to Ease Headache Pain

Look at these medications initially.

Most medical doctors advise that you might try out over-the-counter remedies first should you suffer from minor to severe headaches.

They will often have a lot fewer unwanted side effects than prescribed drugs. These medications include things like:

• Acetaminophen or maybe you might know it as being Tylenol


• Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like aspirin and ibuprofen (Advil)


• Medications that mix aspirin, acetaminophen, and caffeine, for example, Excedrin

Don't take these medications too much.

Try to avoid taking over-the-counter medicines greater than three times per week, due to the fact you might get rebound headaches.

These differ from tension head aches. They're usually come on just after the pain medicine has worn off, prompting you to consider an additional dosage. Before long, you'll get a throbbing headache once you quit taking the medication.

Prescription Drugs to Reduce Severe Headaches

In some instances, your physician might prescribe stronger treatments if over-the-counter medications don't halt your headaches.

These drugs may possibly include barbiturates or narcotics.

Be careful, these prescription drugs can be habit-forming, so they really should be utilized very seldomly and only for a brief time.

Your physician might have you try out a number of prescription drugs, including an antidepressant or perhaps a medication that helps prevent seizures.

These drugs may help you avoid severe headaches even though you don't suffer from depression or seizures.

Steering Clear of Triggers

You might be able to avoid or decrease severe headaches by finding out what triggers your head aches and striving to stay away from them.

Decreasing stress

How we think can impact our emotions. So discovering methods to unwind and think in a good way can help you avoid head aches.

You might want to try:

• Positive thinking methods


• Gradual muscle relaxation


• New approaches to handle your time and efforts


• Deep breathing routines


• Well guided imagery


• Meditation


• Yoga

For additional information and facts, see Living With Tension Headaches.

Other points to take into account

Even with therapy, you will probably continue to get some stress head aches.

However, you will likely have them more infrequentl,plus they could hurt much less whenever you get them.