Tension Headaches

The Tension Headache is the most common type of headache, occurring between 30% to 78% of the population (this variation depends on the study). The Tension Headache can range from infrequent episodic (less than 1 day per month, on average) to the chronic (headache occurring on at least 15 days per month for more than three months). Infrequent occurrences of this headache really have minimal impact on quality of life, but for frequent and chronic sufferers of the tension headache, considerable disability is incurred; expensive drugs and increased difficulty to live a healthy lifestyle increase both the personal and socio-economic costs of the frequent tension headache sufferer.

Infrequent Episodic Tension Type Headache
This is categorized as infrequent headache episodes that can last from a couple minutes to days. Pain is usually bilateral (occuring on both the left and right side of the head) and has a pressing or tightening feeling with a pain intensity from mild to moderate. The pain does not increase with physical activity and no nausea is associated with this type of headache. It is not uncommon for a sufferer to be overly sensitive to light or sound. This headache is further differentiated by a sensitity (or lack of) to pressure on trigger points in the upper trapezius, masseter, temporal, sternius, pterygoid and sternocleidomastoid muscles. A map of sensitive trigger points that are treatable by ultrasound can be found here.

Frequent Episodic Tension Type Headache
This is categorized as frequent headache episodes that can last from a couple minutes to days. At least 10 episodes will on more than 1 but less than 15 days per month for at least three months. This type of headache often exists with the Migraine Without Aura type of headache, and in such cases, it is important for the sufferer to keep a headache diary, which will help the doctor diagnose the proper type of headache. Migraine Headache treatment is quite different from Tension Headache treatment and proper diagnosis is important to for both treatment selection and to help prevent the occurrence of medication-overuse headaches. Pain is usually bilateral (occuring on both the left and right side of the head) and has a pressing or tightening feeling with a pain intensity from mild to moderate. The pain does not increase with physical activity and no nausea is associated with this type of headache. It is not uncommon for a sufferer to be overly sensitive to light or sound, but not both. This headache is further differentiated by a sensitity (or lack of) to pressure on trigger points in the upper trapezius, masseter, temporal, sternius, pterygoid and sternocleidomastoid muscles.

More Information

www.aidmyheadache.com Aid My Headache with Ultrasound
adam.about.com Tension Headache Information
www.answers.com Answers about Tension Headaches

Tension Headaches-Type Ailments

Basilar Migraine
Cephalalgia
Ciliary Neuralgia
Cluster Headache
Cranial Arteritis
Erythro-Melalgia of the Head
Erythroprosopalgia of Bing
Essential Headache
Familial Hemiplegic Migraine (FHM)
Hemicrania Angioparalytica
Hemicrana Neuralgiformis Chronica
Histaminic Cephalalgia
Harris Horton's Disease
Idiopathic Headache
Menstrual Headache
Migraine Headache
Migrainous Neuralgia (of Harris)
Muscle Contraction Headache
Ordinary Headache
Rebound Headaches
Retinal Migraine
Petrosal Neuralgia (of Gardner)
Psychogenic Headache
Psychomyogenic Headache
Secondary Headaches
Stress Headache
Sporadic Hemiplegic Migraine
Substance Withdrawl Headache
Temporal Arteritis

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