Tension Type Headache

A tension headache is the most common type of headache. It can cause mild, moderate, or intense pain behind your eyes and in your head and neck. Some people say that a tension headache feels like a tight band around their forehead.

According to the Cleveland Clinic, chronic headaches affect about 3 percent of the U.S. population and include headache episodes that last for more than 15 days per month. Women are twice as likely as men to have tension headaches.

Tension headaches are dull pain, tightness, or pressure around your forehead or the back of your head and neck. Some people say it feels like a clamp squeezing the skull. Often called stress headaches, they’re the most common type for adults.

Tension headaches are caused by muscle contractions in the head and neck regions. These types of contractions can be caused by a variety of

•       foods
•       activities
•       stressors

Some people develop tension headaches after staring at a computer screen for a long time or after driving for long periods. Cold temperatures may also trigger a tension headache. Other triggers of tension headaches include:

•       alcohol
•       eye strain
•       dry eyes
•       fatigue
•       smoking
•       a cold or flu
•       a sinus infection
•       caffeine
•       poor posture
•       emotional stress
•       decreased water intake
•       lack of sleep
•       skipping meals

Some people develop tension headaches after staring at a computer screen for a long time or after driving for long periods. Cold temperatures may also trigger a tension headache.

Symptoms of a tension headache include:

•       dull head pain
•       pressure around the forehead
•       tenderness around the forehead and scalp

The pain is usually mild or moderate, but it can also be intense. In this case, you might confuse your tension headache with a migraine. This is a type of headache that causes throbbing pain on one or both sides of your head. However, tension headaches don’t have all the symptoms of migraines, such as nausea and vomiting. In rare cases, a tension headache can lead to sensitivity to light and loud noise, similar to migraines.

You can start by drinking more water. You may be dehydrated and need to increase your water intake. Also, you should consider how much sleep you’re getting. Lack of sleep can lead to tension headaches. And make sure you didn’t skip any meals, which can trigger headaches.