TENSION TYPE HEADACHE
Tension type headache is the most common headache disorder with 7 million Australians suffering with these headaches. Due to the name, tension type headaches are usually associated with stress however you can have little to no stress in your life and still get tension type headaches. This is because many different things can contribute to these headaches including the upper neck and the jaw e.g. clenching and grinding.
The onset of these headaches can be at any age however they are more likely to have an onset in teenage years, spike in the fourth decade of life and decrease after that. It is not uncommon for people suffering with tension type headaches to suffer other forms of headache disorders including migraines and many people had a family member that was either suffering or had suffered with some form of chronic headaches. Approximately 50% of people reported that they had a daily headache that may last between 10-30 years.
Tension type headaches can either be classified as episodic or chronic.
Episodic - Having less than 15 headache days per month.
Chronic - Having more than 15 headache days per month.
A tension type headache is classified as:
- Ache, pressure, vice-like pain
- Mild to moderate in intensity
- Can last for hours to days in episodic cases
- Can be constant in chronic cases
- Mild sensitivity to light and/or noise may occur in chronic cases
Other associated features can include:
- Neck pain/stiffness
- Trouble concentrating or sleeping
- Brain fog
- Depression and/or anxiety
There are many things that you can do to help treat tension type headaches besides decreasing your stress. If you have high stress levels, decreasing your stress levels will help to decrease the headaches however often other factors are contributing and need to be addressed also. So if you are tired of tension type headaches being a part of your life, contact us today to see how we can help you make them a thing of the past.
