Tension headache is a condition in which a person feels a squeeze, tension, or dull discomfort in the head area.
Soreness can disturb a person with different duration - from a few minutes to days, with periods of reduction and worsening discomfort.
The prevalence of HDN in modern society is striking in its scope: according to some data, its incidence reaches 65% among males and 86% among females.
The causes of tension headaches are fatigue, stress, prolonged forced position in an uncomfortable position, anxiety disorders, depression, prolonged use of analgesics, tranquilizers. Most often there is a combination of provoking factors. Symptoms and treatment of this problem will be discussed in this article.
Classification of
Why does the tension headache occur, and what is it? First, the pain is divided into episodic and chronic.
- Episodic pain .With this type of tension headache, a person experiences painful sensations no more than 20 days a month or 180 days a year. The intensity of episodic pain will be low.
- About chronic pain stresses say when seizures take more than 15 days per month, this form is characterized by a greater intensity of symptoms.
Despite the fact that the differences in these types of tension headaches are very conditional, it is they that help the doctor to orient and give the patient a correct diagnosis.
Reasons for
To date, there are a lot of factors that can provoke such pains. So, what can be the headache of tension?
- Psychological stress, as well as various affective conditions, for example, deep depression or serious anxiety. Do not forget that depression can be expressed both in an open and in a closed form. In other words, in some cases, the patient simply does not recognize that he is in a state of depression, and therefore categorically refuses a course of treatment. Such cases are the most dangerous, because they are most likely to cause serious headaches. In situations where pain in the head occurs precisely because of psychological stress, the patient can also complain of a violation of appetite and sleep, irritability and too fast fatigue.
- The second most common cause of tension headache is muscle stress. It represents a prolonged muscle strain, when a person does not move for a long time. The headache of muscle tension is most often caused by overexertion of the cervical, ocular muscles, as well as the muscles of the shoulder girdle and the scalp aponeurosis.
- Headache can be triggered by excessive consumption of tranquilizers, analgesics with acetylsalicylic acid, etc. With the use of such drugs you need to be extremely cautious!
Particularly high probability of developing a headache of stress in people with a specific work activity. This category includes drivers, accountants and others who spend a lot of time behind the computer monitor. Also, the risk of this disease in the watchmakers, jewelers and other professions, constantly straining the visual muscles, is high.
Symptoms of a tension headache
Usually a tension headache has certain symptoms. People describe the symptomatology as constriction or pressure( like a tight hoop around the head, squeezing the strap or like a hat that is small).The pain is usually bilateral and often spreads down or up from the neck.
Pain is mostly mild or moderate, but can sometimes be so intense that it interferes with daily activities. Usually, other symptoms are absent, although some people with tension headaches do not like bright light and loud sounds, they have reduced appetite.
The criteria for the diagnosis of tension headaches have been developed, it has the following characteristics:
- with a compressive or compressive character;
- with mild or moderate intensity;
- remains the same under normal physical exertion;
- is not accompanied by nausea;
- photo or phonophobia is possible.
In order for the diagnosis to be made, it is necessary that at least two of the above characteristics are present.
What drugs relieve the tension headache?
For , the arrest of an attack of , as well as the removal of a headache, is applied:
- ibuprofen - 400-800 mg;
- acetylsalicylic acid - 600-1000 mg;
- paracetamol - 100 mg;
- diclofenac - 50-100 mg;
- flupirtine - for 100 mg.
For prophylaxis of the onset of pain syndrome:
- amitriptyline - 10-100 mg;
- norttytilin - 10-100 mg;
- tizanidine - 2-6 mg per day;
- baclofen - 10-25 mg 2-3 times a day.
Rapid NSAIDs help to get rid of HB caused by provoking factors. To date, it is established that none of the analgesics can remove GB from everyone without exception, and each patient needs an individual selection of the drug.
But we must not forget that using excessive painkillers for too long can get the opposite effect: an abusus headache( ie, these drugs cause it), so with the use of drugs in the treatment of tension headaches one must be very cautious.
Treatment of tension headaches
When there are tension headaches, treatment involves first of all finding out, as well as eliminating the causes of their occurrence. The procedure of complex treatment must necessarily be prescribed by a doctor, in most cases it is a combination of relaxation and medicines.
- The main place in the treatment is the normalization of the patient's emotional state. It is necessary to adequately approach the treatment of depression, phobia, anxiety. That is why most patients are prescribed antidepressant drugs( amitriptyline, fluoxetine, venlafaxine).
- To remove muscular tension appoint muscle relaxants( tizanidine).
- NVPs( diclofenac, acetylsalicylic acid, naproxen) are also taken, only as auxiliaries, and only briefly, symptomatically.
The basic principles of non-drug treatment of tension headaches are as follows:
- You need to sleep at least 7-8 hours a day. If you need to get up early in the morning - go to bed early.
- Try to eat well( at least 3-4 times a day) and drink at least 2 liters of clean water per day( except for tea, coffee and alcoholic beverages).
- During a long work at the computer, you must make breaks and somehow get distracted. Efficacies for the eyes and a small physical workout will be effective.
- Try to move more and stay out in the open air longer.
Also used acupuncture, manual therapy, massage, relaxation therapy, biofeedback. How to get rid of a severe tension headache, the doctor should tell. You need to be prepared for the fact that the treatment course can last for 2-3 months.
Prevention
Warn them with such methods:
- psychotherapy and physiotherapy procedures;
- water procedures and manual therapy;
- sanitation at the resorts;
- choose the optimal mode of work and rest;
- is constantly engaged in physical therapy;
- is a must for the prescription of a doctor.
Of the drugs used muscle relaxants and antidepressants, which can only pick up your doctor.