A tension headache is a mild to moderate pain in the head that is described as a feeling of a tight band around the head and common among adults and also known as a stress headache.
An episodic tension headache involves mild to moderate band-like pain, pressure or tightness that is felt around the forehead or at the back of the head and neck and may last from 30 minutes to several days and it usually happens in the middle of the day.
[youtube url=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AGAsm_Ev_fM” width=”220″]A chronic tension headache just comes and goes for a prolonged period of time and there is throbbing pain affecting the front, top and sides of the head and may vary in intensity throughout the day and does not affect vision, strength and balance.
People suffering from episodic headaches can experience them once or twice a month, but headaches can happen anytime. Females are more susceptible to chronic tension headaches.
Symptoms of tension headaches
· There is a sensation of tightness or pressure across the forehead or on the back or sides of the head.
· A dull and aching head pain
There are two categories of tension headaches – episodic and chronic. The episodic tension headache last from 30 minutes and goes on for a week while chronic tension headaches last for hours and may be continuous. If the headache occurs 15 days or more days in a month, they can be considered chronic headaches.
Causes of tension headaches
Headaches can be caused from the muscle contraction in the neck, face and scalp, as a result of emotions, tension and stress. Muscles tensions can be caused by the following:
· An emotional or mental stress and also experiencing depression
· Having inadequate rest
· A poor posture, fatigue and hunger
· Anxiety
· Overexertion of the body
· Stress
Treatment and home remedies
· In order to reduce stress, the person should plan ahead and organizing activities for the day, allowing oneself time to relax, and if caught in a stressful situation, walk away from the problem.
· Apply heat or ice to sore muscles to help minimize tension headaches. When using heat, use a hot-water bottle, a warm compress or a hot towel and a heating pad set on low temperature, a hot bath or shower can also help minimize tension headaches. For cold compress, wrap ice or frozen vegetables in a cloth in order to protect the skin. If you want to learn the effectiveness of warm or cold, click here.
Prevention
· Perform exercises on a daily basis.
· Biofeedback training is a technique that teaches the person to control body responses that helps in reducing pain.
· A cognitive behavioral therapy is a talk therapy that helps the person manage stress and help in reducing the severity of the headaches.
· Other relaxation techniques such as deep breathing, yoga, progressive muscle relaxation and meditation can also help in minimizing the headaches.