Tension-type headache is categorised as a type of spontaneous pain of a non paroxysmal nature. It is one of the most common types of pain. It bears a strong resemblance to what is known as an 'adventurous' or chronic daily onslaught headache.
Causes of pain
Causes causing this pain include too little sleep, alcohol, smoking, hunger, overheating, severe emotional tension, atmospheric changes, poor sitting position at work, stress and many others.
People during a pain attack are restless, mobile, show increased sweating and mood changes. However, they do not show deviations from a normal general and neurological state.
Pain triggers
The full mechanism of tension-type headache has not yet been elucidated. Pathogenic factors include anxiety and depression, prolonged muscle spasm, overuse of pain medication and facial and mandibular dysfunction.
Treatment
Treatment is an individual issue for each patient. However, it should be emphasised that both non-pharmacological and pharmacological treatments are not satisfactory for either the doctor or the sufferer. The most commonly used drugs are from the group of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (naproxen, ibuprofen, paracetamol), which are extremely effective in this disease. In the chronic form of the disease, antidepressants and anti-anxiety drugs are very often used.
photo: panthermedia
However, it is important not to overuse pharmaceuticals in the case of tension-type headaches, but to try to avoid or minimise the factors that may contribute to their occurrence.
It is worth trying non-pharmacological means of combating pain, such as massages, swimming pools, relaxation, yoga, walking in the fresh air and many others.
