June is National Headache Awareness Month
Tension-Type Headaches
Submitted by: Jen Brandt, M.Ed., Assistant Director of Recreation and Wellness

Nearly all of us have had a tension-type headache, but most of us believe we can handle it. We take an over-the-counter analgesic and before you know it, the headache has disappeared. However, millions of people encounter headaches that are so painful, debilitating, or frequent that they seem to spend their days waiting for "it" to attack and then to retreat.

As universal as tension-type headaches are, their causes and symptoms are more complicated and unique than you might realize. The word "tension" can be misleading, too, because not all headaches are caused by tension. In fact, many people do not seek medical attention when they should because they assume the cause of their head pain is tension. Physicians describe two tension-type headaches: episodic and chronic.

Episodic
Generally, episodic headaches occur randomly and are often the result of temporary stress, anxiety, fatigue or anger. They are what most of us consider "tension-type" headaches. Symptoms include soreness in your temples, a tightening band-like sensation around your head, a pulling feeling, pressure sensations, and contracting head and neck muscles. The headache surfaces in your forehead, temples, or the back of your head and neck.

If you can ease or eliminate your headache by taking an over-the-counter (OTC) medication - which brings relief in about one to two hours - then yours are probably episodic headaches. While you may have several of these tension-type headaches during a month, you are probably managing them yourself with an analgesic, a long walk, or, if possible, a good night's sleep. If, however, you find that you are taking medication daily or almost daily, then you should see your physician because yours may be chronic tension-type headaches. Or, you may be experiencing rebound headaches, which are medication-induced and both aggravate and mask other headaches.

Chronic
A tension-type headache that occurs just about every day, and may have been going on for months, is chronic. It is the frequency that distinguishes episodic from chronic headaches. If you suffer from chronic headaches, you probably have not found much relief in over-the-counter medications for a pain that seems constant and unrelenting. That is why people who suffer from chronic headaches should ask their doctor for help.

Source: The National Headache Foundation's Complete Guide to Headache, 2002