Bright Spots in Tension Headaches – Southern California Headache Clinics at Healthpointe

Tension headaches may be one of the most common types of headaches yet their causes are not as understood as other types. Fortunately, scientists including healthcare professionals like doctors can identify the symptoms, diagnose the condition, and provide for effective treatments for tension headaches – truly, bright spots in the otherwise gloomy hours when an attack strikes.

Consensus on Causes

Scientists agree on the following causes or triggers for tension headaches in their sufferers:

Overuse of painkillers as is the case with rebound headaches
Activity wherein the head is held in one position for prolonged periods, thus, making the muscles on the scalp and neck to become tense. Examples include typing on the computer keyboard, using a microscope, and performing fine work with the hands.
Sleeping with the neck in an abnormal (i.e., bent out of its normal alignment) position
Sleeping in a cold room
Caffeine overdose and withdrawal
Alcohol consumption
Flu and sinusitis
Eye strain especially during computer work
Excessive smoking
Fatigue caused by physical and psychological factors like exertion and depression

And even in the same individual, the triggers for his tension headaches may vary from one attack to the next although a pattern can be made; this is where keeping a headache diary comes in.

This discussion on the common causes of tension headaches has a valid reason: When you can identify your triggers, you will be in a better position to avoid these triggers so you can enjoy a better quality of life – look, Ma, no more tension headaches!

Cure and Care Measures

When a tension headache attacks, you are justified in thinking that it will never end and your life is ruined because its symptoms are, indeed, painful. Your symptoms usually include dull pain that feels like extreme pressure being applied by a tight band around your head with the pain worse in the scalp, temples and/or back of the neck sometimes radiating to the shoulders.

Your suffering may be as short as 30 minutes or as long as 7 days so much so that you may have difficulty in sleeping as well as bouts with nausea, dizziness and vomiting. Your symptoms may be relieved by massaging the affected areas but these can also be worsened by stress, fatigue and sensory stimulation (i.e., noise and glare).

Fortunately, you can look forward to bright spots with the following cure and care measures:

Avoid your headache triggers. This is the most important preventive measure especially for chronic sufferers of tension headaches.
Ask your doctor about over-the-counter medications that can be taken even before the symptoms set in. The most common are over-the-counter painkillers, narcotic pain relievers, and muscle relaxants.
Ask your doctor about prescription medications, too, including SSRIs and tricyclic antidepressants; be sure to follow dosage instructions as under-treatment and over-treatment of primary headaches can result in tension headaches.
Adopt an effective stress management plan so that you can avoid stressful episodes from bringing on attacks of tension headaches. Think yoga, meditation, cognitive behavioral therapy, biofeedback and even acupuncture.

Of course, the brightest spots in tension headaches – these are not associated with brain diseases including tumors and these are not likely to cause serious medical problems. With proper care, you can be largely free of these painful episodes!

Tension Headaches: Highlighting the Facts

It’s not unusual for people who are constantly under a lot of stress to experience tension headaches. The people most at risk for this type of headache are women, especially those whose estrogen levels change dramatically before or during menstruation, or when going through menopause. Also at risk are people who are chronically overworked, sleep too little or too much, or use and abuse drugs or alcohol. If you feel you’re in danger of developing tension-type headaches, consult a headache specialist immediately for proper diagnosis, guidance and treatment.

Tension Headaches: An Overview

Tension headaches are categorized as primary headaches. What that means is that the headache is a problem in itself and not a symptom of any underlying illness. Often, primary headaches are triggered by things like stress, particular actions, or certain foods that somehow alter a person’s neurotransmitters or the chemicals in the brain that control sensations like pain. They are episodic and recurring in nature, and at times the headaches become chronic. Since this type of headache has no underlying illness to blame for the pain, it doesn’t pose any serious health issues. However, primary headaches have the tendency to be quite severe and this can affect a person’s ability to perform daily tasks.

A tension-type headache is defined as a dull pain that feels like a vice or a band is putting pressure around the head. The pain is felt all over and not isolated to just one side of the head, like migraines and cluster headaches. This type of headache often begins at the back of the head and makes its way forward. Also, people who experience tension-type headaches usually feel tightness and soreness of the muscles in the jaw, neck and shoulder area.

Little is known about the true cause of tension-type headaches. It was once believed that muscle contractions in the neck, shoulders, jaw and scalp, produce the pain, but recent studies show that this may not be the case. These studies also reveal that tension headaches are similar to aura migraines in such a way that certain stressors can trigger an episode by affecting the neurotransmitters in the brain causing the pain. It is possible that the tightening of the muscles contribute to the changes in the brain’s neurotransmitters; however, in cases of tension-type headaches where there is not muscle tension involved, it is hard to tell what really causes the headaches.

Tension-type Headache Triggers

This type of headache can be triggered by a number of factors or stressors. In any case, unless these stressors are eliminated, tension-type headaches are likely to recur. If these stressors are constantly present, there’s a good chance that a tension-type headache will become a chronic condition.

The most common triggers include:

Constant or too much stress
Fatigue
Anxiety or depression
Overexertion during physical activities
Staying in or holding one’s head in one position for long periods of time
Not getting enough sleep, or in some cases, oversleeping
Teeth grinding or jaw clenching
Skipping meals

Treating Tension-Type Headaches

There is no clear-cut cure for tension headaches except for avoiding the triggers that may cause the pain, but this condition is very much manageable. Most of the time, tension-type headaches can be dealt with easily by taking over-the-counter pain medication; however, overuse of these drugs can cause rebound headaches instead of relief. In rare cases where OTC drugs fail to provide alleviation, doctors would normally prescribe stronger pain relievers and in cases where muscle tightness is involved, a doctor may also recommend muscle relaxants to help ease the symptoms of tension-type headaches.

While this type of headache is treatable, and in most cases the pain is quite manageable with or without the help of medication, it is important to consult a doctor or a headache specialist in order to get the proper treatment for tension headaches.

If you’re experiencing any type of headache pain, schedule an appointment with one of our headache specialists immediately for proper diagnosis and treatment.