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Conditions
Headache disorders
Tension headache

Tension headache

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A condition where there is dull pressure or pain within the head, often associated with muscle tension, especially the muscles in the back of the head and neck.

Dr. Geoffrey Rutledge reviewed this

39 year experience in Internal Medicine

Is a type of:

Headache • Headache disorders

How long it usually lasts:

Short-term (lasts days to weeks)

How common it is:

Very common
Baby
0-2
Preteen
6-13
Very common
Teenager
14-18
Very common
Young adult
19-40
Very common
Middle-aged adult
41-60
Very common

How it can usually be treated?

Can be managed without a doctor visit

How is it usually diagnosed?

Self-diagnosable

Body locations

Head

Symptoms

Neck pain
Headache
Jaw pain
Light sensitivity
Neck strain
Load more

Medications

Ratings show how effective doctors think these medications are at treating Tension headache
Naproxen
3.5
75 reviews
Acetaminophen and butalbital
3.3
61 reviews
Aspirin butalbital and caffeine
3.3
46 reviews
Acetaminophen butalbital caffeine and codeine
3.3
60 reviews
Ibuprofen
3.3
60 reviews
Load more

Risk factors

Personal

Stress
Cigarette smoking

Related questions

A 40-year old asked:

What's a tension headache like?

1 doctor answer • 6 doctors weighed in

A 34-year old asked:

How long can tension headaches last?

1 doctor answer • 2 doctors weighed in

A 28-year old male asked:

What can I take for tension headache?

2 doctor answers • 4 doctors weighed in

A 43-year old asked:

What causes a morning tension headache?

2 doctor answers • 5 doctors weighed in

A 42-year old female asked:

How Do I treat a severe tension headache?

1 doctor answer • 1 doctor weighed in

A 33-year old asked:

Tension headache - what I can do or take?/

1 doctor answer • 2 doctors weighed in

A 34-year old asked:

How long do tension headaches tend to last?

1 doctor answer • 3 doctors weighed in

A 47-year old asked:

What are common signs of a tension headache?

1 doctor answer • 2 doctors weighed in

A 46-year old female asked:

How to relieve tension headache w/o medication?

1 doctor answer • 5 doctors weighed in

A 35-year old asked:

What are common symptoms of a tension headache?

2 doctor answers • 11 doctors weighed in

A 23-year old female asked:

What is the best way to stop a tension headache?

1 doctor answer • 3 doctors weighed in

A 18-year old female asked:

What are tension headaches? Like what causes them?

1 doctor answer • 3 doctors weighed in

A 49-year old asked:

What do you suggest to relieve a tension headache?

2 doctor answers • 5 doctors weighed in

A 35-year old asked:

What is the best way to take care of a tension headache?

1 doctor answer • 2 doctors weighed in

A 33-year old asked:

How can I tell if I have tension headaches or another type?

2 doctor answers • 2 doctors weighed in

A 42-year old asked:

What type of.headache is a tension headache? What causes it?

1 doctor answer • 2 doctors weighed in

A 19-year old male asked:

What could be the cause for me to have tension headaches every day?

1 doctor answer • 1 doctor weighed in

A 34-year old asked:

What are the name of the medication used to treat tension headaches?

1 doctor answer • 4 doctors weighed in

A 38-year old asked:

What can cure chronic tension headache rathers than just take pills?

1 doctor answer • 2 doctors weighed in

A 27-year old male asked:

What is the best physical exercise I can do to defeat my Tension Headache ?

1 doctor answer • 2 doctors weighed in

A 25-year old male asked about a 19-year old female:

Can a tension headache last for more than a couple weeks maybe even a month?

2 doctor answers • 6 doctors weighed in

A 26-year old female asked:

I've had a tension headache for the past few days, what can I do to relive it?

1 doctor answer • 4 doctors weighed in

A 44-year old asked:

Please tell me what type of medication will chronic tension headache respond well to?

1 doctor answer • 2 doctors weighed in

A 24-year old female asked:

Is it possible for a tension headache to last for months? If yes, what are the best home remedies?

1 doctor answer • 1 doctor weighed in

A 28-year old asked:

I seem to get tension headache. Is there a permanent solution apart from trying to avoide tension causing situations.?

4 doctor answers • 9 doctors weighed in

A 22-year old female asked:

Is it possible to get mild tension headaches every day! I have been getting them everyday since may, well i think it's tension will they ever go away?

2 doctor answers • 5 doctors weighed in

A 27-year old female asked:

I was diagnosis with tension headaches, how long do they last for? They occur when I wake up in the AM left side. Is this normal? Worried it something else.

1 doctor answer • 2 doctors weighed in

A 49-year old asked:

How to fix my daughter's tension headaches?

2 doctor answers • 10 doctors weighed in

A 40-year old asked:

Are petechiae and tension headaches linked?

1 doctor answer • 3 doctors weighed in

A 37-year old asked:

What are the causes of a tension headache in temples?

2 doctor answers • 4 doctors weighed in

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