01/08/2023
Tension-type headaches
Tension-type headaches, the most common variety of headaches:
Might be felt as a tight band of pain around your head, a dull ache or pressure
Might cause mild to moderate pain on both sides of the head
Vary widely in frequency
Can be occasional
May occur more than 15 days a month (chronic)
Last from 30 minutes to a week
Treatment
Most occasional tension-type headaches are easily treated with over-the-counter medications, including:
Aspirin
Ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, others)
Acetaminophen (Tylenol, others)
Daily prescription medications, including tricyclic antidepressants, might manage chronic tension-type headaches. Alternative therapies aimed at stress reduction might help. They include:
Cognitive behavioral therapy
Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is a talking therapy that can help you manage your problems by changing the way you think and behave. It's most commonly used to treat anxiety and depression, but can be useful for other mental and physical health problems.
Biofeedback
Biofeedback helps you make slight changes in your body, such as relaxing muscles, to help relieve pain or reduce tension. You may be able to decrease your heart rate and breathing, which can make you feel better. Biofeedback can give you the skills to practice new ways to control your body.The use of substances found in nature, such as herbs, foods, and vitamins to strengthen, heal, and balance the body is considered biologically-based practice.
Massage therapy
In massage therapy, a massage therapist rubs and kneads the soft tissues of your body. The soft tissues include muscle, connective tissue, tendons, ligaments and skin. The massage therapist varies the amount of pressure and movement.Studies of massage benefits have found massage can:
Help reduce stress.
Lessen pain and muscle tightness.
Increase relaxation.
Improve the work of the immune system.
Acupuncture
Acupuncture involves inserting needles into the body to stimulate sensory nerves in the skin and muscles. This may help treatTrusted Source chronic pain and other physical conditions.
Acupuncture has roots in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and is now a common complementary treatmentTrusted Source worldwide.
