Stress headaches or tension headaches are bilateral in nature and cause pain on both sides of the head. The pain originates in the tightened muscles of the eyes, neck as well as other muscle groups and progresses from moderate to severe. These are the most common type of headaches and are known to affect almost 30-80% of adults at some point. Tension headaches are more likely to affect women rather than men with the main underlying cause identified as stress. If you feel that you are suffering from a tension headache, it is advisable for you to consult a good doctor in order to get the accurate stress headache treatment.

There are two types of stress headaches- episodic and chronic. Episodic stress headaches last for 15 days, whereas chronic headaches last for more than 15 days in a month. A single headache episode my last for 4-6 hours at a stretch and can be extremely agonizing.

Treatment of stress headaches:

There are various types of treatments available to treat tension headaches ranging from medication, exercises and stretching to meditation, deep breathing and massage.

Medication: Episodic headaches respond well to analgesics such as ibuprofen, paracetamol and acetaminophen. Chronic stress headaches are usually treated with amitriptyline, mirtazapine and sodium valporate. In many cases, the patients are also given botulinum toxin but certain studies have shown that this element can also have a negative impact on individuals as it may increase the tension instead of reducing it. Some doctors also prescribe antidepressants to treat stress headaches.

Acupuncture: Though acupuncture is used by many patients for the treatment of stress headache, as per studies it has not yet proved to be that helpful in the long run.

Stress management Programs: These programs focus on eliminating stress from the system by means of exercising, meditation, talk therapy, guided imagery and other means.

Biofeedback: This scientifically validated technique enables individuals to relax in their surroundings and helps them control the functioning of their body. Through biofeedback the patients are taught the various means by which they can train their body and understand the different signals given from within. This helps them counter the symptoms before a full fledged illness occurs.

Relaxation techniques: There are various relaxation techniques that help individuals relieve their minds from tension and help combat stress. You can try listening to music, dance or do deep breathing exercises after a long day at work.

Yoga: Yoga, particularly pranayam relaxes the mind and heart and reduces more than half of your stress in one go. Pranayam is a set of rhythmic breathing exercises that can be practiced by the individual and go a long way in benefiting the body and mind.