Symptoms
The most common form of primary headache by far is the tension headache. This often begins in the forehead or neck area and spreads over the entire head. The pain can last from a few hours to as long as several days and may occur occasionally or chronically. These headaches are sometimes accompanied by sleep disturbances, dizziness, nausea and visual disturbances. In contrast to migraine, however, such accompanying symptoms are rather rare.
Symptoms
Causes
The medical causes of tension headaches have not been definitively clarified. Tension in the head, neck or shoulder muscles due to heavy strain or poor posture, for example due to an unfavorably designed computer workstation, are probably just some of the many possible causes. Psychological states of tension, such as stress, suppressed aggression or conflicts in private or professional life, can also be triggers.
What we can offer
To rule out secondary headaches, an MRI examination is performed for each new onset headache.
Treatment/progression
The forms of treatment presented below are for informational purposes. They are not exhaustive and are in no way intended for self-treatment. They are intended to serve as a guide for the specialist headache consultation.
Tension headache can be treated effectively with medication. As simple painkillers acetylsalicylic acid (aspirin), paracetamol, mefenamic acid, ibuprofen, naproxen and lornoxicam are effective in many cases. Some of these preparations are also available as effervescent tablets and/or suppositories. However, the frequent and increased use of painkillers by patients themselves can in some cases lead to excessive dose escalation and medication dependency. Long-term medication use can lead to side effects such as gastric bleeding, and it can itself worsen chronic headaches (“painkiller headache”).
For chronic tension headaches, specialists also use certain substances that were originally used for treatment of depression, for example tricyclics or SSRIs.
Many sufferers also find it helpful to learn relaxation exercises that help ward off the headache. These relaxation methods include yoga, autogenic training, progressive muscle relaxation according to Jacobson and similar methods.
