How to Treat A Tension Headache

A tension headache differs from a migraine headache in a few key ways. A tension headache does not typically include nausea and vision problems or weakness. A tension headache can be brief in duration (lasting around a half hour), or it can last for several days. Some people get tension headaches infrequently, whereas other people get them very frequently. A person who experiences chronic tension headaches gets them several times each month. Unfortunately, chronic tension headaches can last for very, very long periods of time.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• A keen desire to learn more about tensions headaches and specific ways to treat a tension headache.

1. Tension headaches can have a variety of causes, including stress, lack of sleep, leading a sedentary lifestyle, medications, and others. The pain associated with a typical tension headache is not so much sharp and acute as it is dully and achy and tight (or tense) feeling, thus the name “tension headache.” The pain can originate in the front of the head (the forehead) or in the temples or in the back of the head, almost as if someone has wrapped a band around your head and pulled it uncomfortably tight. An extreme tension headache can stretch down to the neck and shoulders, making your head, neck and shoulder muscles feel tender to the touch. Tension headaches can in turn trigger fatigue, insomnia, moodiness, appetite loss, and/or difficulty focusing on tasks. If you want to learn tips about how to treat a tension headache, read on.

2. If you are trying to stick with natural treatments or herbal remedies to treat your tension headaches, one natural treatment that helps some people to alleviate their tension headaches is peppermint oil (which is often taken in tea or in capsule form).

3. Another natural treatment for tension headaches is l-tryptophan, found in cottage cheese, turkey, bananas, cheddar cheese, lentils, hummus, nuts, pumpkin seeds, rice and eggs. L-tryptophan is also helpful for the natural treatment of insomnia, fibromyalgia, depression, and other health conditions. Eating a small amount of foods containing l-tryptophan when you first start to feel your tension headache symptoms can help reduce these tension headache symptoms.

4. Over the counter treatments for tension headaches include medications that are pure analgesics or pain relievers, such as NSAIDS: Aleve (which contains naproxen) or ibuprofen (Motrin IB, Advil). Prescription NSAIDs are also available, so talk to your doctor if the over the counter NSAIDs are not helpful in treating your tension headaches. However, be aware that NSAIDs (over the counter NSAIDs or prescription NSAIDs) are not appropriate for all individuals because they can cause some side effects.

5. Medical experts point out that some people need medications that contain more than just pain relievers to treat tension headaches. For example, a medication like Excedrin is considered an “analgesic-plus,” because it contains aspirin plus acetaminophen (another pain relieving ingredient) and caffeine. (Note that there are some potential risks associated with acetaminophen, especially if you have a history or liver problems, so check with your doctor before trying them and only use them as directed.)

Tips & Warnings

• On very rare occasions, and only if a particular situation warrants it, a doctor might prescribe an opiate pain reliever (like Tylenol with Codeine 3) to treat tension headaches. However, doctors are very cautious about prescribing opiates for pain relief, and often quite reluctant to do so, because patients can become dependent upon (i.e., addicted to) them.