Tension Headache: Headaches Migraines

Content provided by the Faculty of the Harvard Medical School

Tension headache

Tension headache is the most common type of headache, affecting more than three in four people at some point in their lives. This type of headache usually develops in the afternoon. The pain is mild or moderate. It may envelop your entire head or be limited to the forehead or to the back or top of your head. Many people describe the sensation as a dull tightness or pressure that occurs in a bandlike pattern (see Figure 1). The intensity of the pain may fluctuate, but it won't be intense enough to keep you from sleeping or to awaken you.

Figure 1: Tension headache pain Tension headaches often produce steady pain across the forehead or in the back of the head. Sometimes, the pain is felt throughout the head, and the sensation is often described as a dull tightness.

Unlike migraine headaches, tension headaches are rarely accompanied by other symptoms, such as nausea, vomiting, or blurred vision. In addition, researchers haven't linked them to common migraine triggers, such as foods, genes, or hormonal changes. Tension headaches can occur infrequently, regularly, or daily (see "Chronic daily headache"). They are common at any age, but women are more susceptible to them than men are (see "Tension headaches by the numbers," below).

Tension headaches by the numbers Source: Journal of the American Medical Association

Last updated:	September 05, 2008