Tension Headache: Causes And Treatment
We all know how unpleasant it can be to have a headache. This discomfort prevents us from carrying out our daily tasks. It bothers us and usually robs us of our energy. We have all experienced this at some point. Although there are many versions of this condition, tension headache is one of the most common.
This is a type of headache that occurs due to excessive tension in the muscles of the neck and scalp. We estimate that these exaggerated contractions of the musculature produce 78% of headache cases worldwide. They are usually associated with problems such as depression, anxiety, or stress. However, it can affect almost anyone.
Although it generally generates no more than just a nuisance problems, headache ten of sion can become quite serious if it lasts long. In this article, we will introduce you to the main causes of this disorder and what you can do to fight it.
What is a tension headache?
Most people with this disorder feel like they have a bandage that constricts their head. They therefore feel a slight general pain. But it can be very unpleasant. A tension headache will usually not prevent a person from doing their daily tasks. It will nevertheless produce a feeling of lack of clarity, fatigue and unease.
While we don’t know exactly why tension headache occurs, we do know that there are several factors that predispose it to onset:
- Episodes of stress, anxiety or depression that are prolonged over time
- Insomnia and lack of sleep for several days in a row
- Force sight for prolonged periods. This can happen, for example, when we are staring at a screen or when we do not use glasses while we have myopia.
- Poor posture when we sleep or sit. It causes stiff neck
The tension headache usually occurs less than 15 days per month. We consider that we are facing another type of disorder, such as chronic headache, if the frequency is higher. Although it can be caused by stress, it is generally classified as a different problem.
How to treat tension headache
The secret to treating tension headache is finding out exactly why it is happening. You will know what is the most effective way to make it go away if you can. To do this, you should ask yourself the following questions:
- What has changed in the days before the onset of the headache?
- Have you been under a lot of stress lately? If so, has it intensified in recent days?
- Have you strained the muscles in your neck or back in any way? This can happen, for example, during intense physical exercise.
- Do you adopt unnatural postures for long periods of time?
- Did you strain your eyesight more than usual? For example, looking at the screen of a computer or a cell phone for too long.
Depending on the answers to these questions, you can adopt different strategies to deal with the tension headache. For example, if you suspect that the problem is due to an excess of negative emotions, you can use relaxation techniques to reduce the negative impact of stress on your body.
It may be enough, if you think that your headache is due to physical factors (bad posture or overloading of certain muscles), to change certain habits and to be more attentive to the postures and the movements that you adopt.
Should I go to the doctor?
The tension headache should generally not be a cause for concern. However, it is sometimes necessary to go see a professional to verify that there is no more serious problem. Some of these cases are:
- The headache becomes very intense
- The headache appears very suddenly
- Associated problems appear, such as loss of balance or difficulty speaking
- You need to take pain relievers frequently, more than three days a week
In such cases, going to the doctor is the best option. However, the tension headache often goes away on its own. You can also understand it as a warning from your body that it is necessary to change certain aspects of your life.
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