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Tension Headache and Lifestyle components

 

Tension Headache  or Muscle Contraction Headache

Tension headache is very common and is typically experienced as a dull, non-throbbing pain in the back of the neck or in a "headband" distribution. ¹ It may be associated with tender nodules in the neck called trigger-points, ² or with tenderness in the muscles around the head. ³

Lifestyle

Tension-type headaches often occur more frequently and may become more severe during or following times of mental or emotional stress. ^{4, 5, 6} Several controlled studies have found tension headache sufferers to report higher levels of stress, ^{7, 8, 9} and to have significantly higher levels of depression or anxiety than those that do not suffer from headaches. ^{10, 11, 12} It was also found that headache suffers have significantly greater levels of suppressed anger, ¹³ or significantly greater generalized muscle tension ^{14, 15} than those without headaches. Minimizing stress and getting enough sleep and regular exercise are often recommended to people with tension headaches. However, no research has investigated the effectiveness of these lifestyle changes.

References

1. Stevens MB. Tension-type headaches. Am Fam Physician 1993;47:799-806 [review].
2. Davidoff RA. Trigger points and myofascial pain: toward understanding how they affect headaches. Cephalalgia 1998;18:436-48 [review].
3. Jensen R. Pathophysiological mechanisms of tension-type headache: a review of epidemiological and experimental studies. Cephalalgia 1999;19:602-21 [review].
4. Rasmussen BK. Migraine and tension-type headache in a general population: psychosocial factors. Int J Epidemiol 1992;21:1138-43.
5. Donias SH, Peioglou-Harmoussi S, Georgiadis G, Manos N. Differential emotional precipitation of migraine and tension-type headache attacks. Cephalalgia 1991;11:47-52.
6. Wittrock DA, Myers TC. The comparison of individuals with recurrent tension-type headache and headache-free controls in physiological response, appraisal, and coping with stressors: a review of the literature. Ann Behav Med 1998;20:118-34 [review].
7. Myers TC, Wittrock DA, Foreman GW. Appraisal of subjective stress in individuals with tension-type headache: the influence of baseline measures. J Behav Med 1998;21:469-84.
8. DeBenedittis G, Lorenzetti A, Pieri A. The role of stressful life events in the onset of chronic primary headache. Pain 1990;40:65-75.
9. DeBenedittis G, Lorenzetti A. The role of stressful life events in the persistence of primary headache: major events vs. daily hassles. Pain 1992;51:35-42.
10. Ficek SK, Wittrock DA. Subjective stress and coping in recurrent tension-type headache. Headache 1995;35:455-60.
11. Holroyd KA, Stensland M, Lipchik GL, et al. Psychosocial correlates and impact of chronic tension-type headaches. Headache 2000;40:3-16.
12. Serrano-Duenas M. Chronic tension-type headache and depression. Rev Neurol 2000;30:822-6 [in Spanish].
13. Hatch JP, Schoenfeld LS, Boutros NN,et al. Anger and hostility in tension-type headache. Headache 1991;31:302-4.
14. Rugh JD, Hatch JP, Moore PJ et al. The effects of psychological stress on electromyographic activity and negative affect in ambulatory tension-type headache patients. Headache 1990;30:216-9.
15. Hatch JP, Moore PJ, Borcherding S, et al. Electromyographic and affective responses of episodic tension-type headache patients and headache-free controls during stressful task performance. J Behav Med 1992;15:89-112.

 

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