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Headaches - tension

Description

An in-depth report on the causes, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of common headaches.

Highlights

Spinal Manipulation and Physical Therapy

• Physical therapy combined with head and neck muscle exercises may help reduce the frequency, intensity, and duration of tension-type headaches, suggests a 2006 study published in Headache . In the study, patients performed 10-minute exercises twice a day. The exercises involved flexing the head and neck against gentle resistance supplied by a latex band.
• Daily relaxation exercises combined with three osteopathic treatments help reduce the frequency -- but not the intensity -- of tension-type headache, according to a 2006 study in Cephalalgia .

Tension-Type Headaches in Children

• Sleep disorders afflict more than two-thirds of children who have chronic daily headache, suggests a study presented at a 2006 sleep disorders conference. Research also indicated that one-fifth of children with episodic headaches experience sleep problems. Difficulty falling asleep was the most commonly reported sleep problem.
• School pressures can trigger tension-type headaches in children. According to a National Headache Foundation (NHF) survey, nearly 30% of children miss school or other activities because of headache. Over half of children with headaches reported that they felt pressure to receive good grades. Thirty-five percent reported pressure to fit in with peers. According to the NHF, 56% of children who have headaches experience their first one before age 10.

Tension-Type Headache and Temporomandibular Joint Disorder

Some patients with tension-type headache may actually be suffering from jaw pain, according to research presented at a 2006 dental meeting. Temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJD) is a condition involving the joint that connects the lower jaw to the skull. In the study of patients diagnosed with TMJD, researchers found they could replicate tension-type headache symptoms in 82% of participants by manipulating the temporalis muscle involved in TMJD. Patients with chronic tension-type headaches should check with their doctors or dentists to see if TMJD may be a factor.

• Review Date: 10/3/2006
• Reviewed By: Harvey Simon, M.D., Editor-in-Chief, Associate Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School; Physician, Massachusetts General Hospital

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