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tension headache

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Also known as tension-type headache

common type of headache classified by The International Classification of Headache Disorders 3rd edition

Key facts

Other names
Tension headache, stress headache
Specialty
Neurology
Differential diagnosis
Migraine
Frequency
89.1% ( Denmark )

via Wikipedia infobox

~15 min read

Encyclopedic overview

Tension headache, stress headache, or tension-type headache (TTH), is the most common type of primary headache. The pain usually radiates from the lower back of the head, the neck, the eyes, or other muscle groups in the body typically affecting both sides of the head. Tension-type headaches account for nearly 90% of all headaches.

Pain medications, such as paracetamol and ibuprofen, are effective for the treatment of tension headache. Tricyclic antidepressants appear to be useful for prevention. Evidence is poor for SSRIs, propranolol and muscle relaxants.

Excerpted from Wikipedia’s “tension headache” article, available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.