The Mayo Clinic Diet Book, learn more

Free

E-newsletter

Subscribe to Housecall

Our weekly general interest
e-newsletter keeps you up to date on a wide variety of health topics.

Sign up now

Prevention

By Mayo Clinic staff

In addition to regular exercise, techniques such as biofeedback training and relaxation therapy can help reduce stress.

  • Biofeedback training. This technique teaches you to control certain body responses that help reduce pain. During a biofeedback session, you're connected to devices that monitor and give you feedback on body functions such as muscle tension, heart rate and blood pressure. You then learn how to reduce muscle tension and slow your heart rate and breathing yourself. Ask your doctor whether such a program might help you.
  • Cognitive behavioral therapy. This approach also may help you learn to manage stress and may help reduce the frequency and severity of your headaches. During this type of talk therapy, a counselor helps you learn ways to view and cope with life events more positively.
  • Other relaxation techniques. These include deep breathing, yoga, meditation and progressive muscle relaxation, which is accomplished by tensing one muscle at a time, and then completely releasing the tension, until every muscle in your body is relaxed. You can learn relaxation techniques in special classes or at home using books or tapes.

Using medications in conjunction with stress management techniques may be more effective than is either treatment alone in reducing your tension headaches. Additionally, living a healthy lifestyle — getting enough sleep, not smoking, exercising regularly and eating healthy foods — may help prevent tension headaches.

Coping and support
References
  1. Tension-type headache. National Headache Foundation. http://www.headaches.org/education/Headache_Topic_Sheets/Tension-Type_Headache. Accessed Nov. 24, 2010.
  2. Ropper AH, et al. Headache and other craniofacial pains. In: Ropper AH, et al. Adam's and Victor's Principles of Neurology. 9th ed. New York, N.Y.: The McGraw-Hill Companies. 2009. http://www.accessmedicine.com/content.aspx?aID=3631051&searchStr=cluster+headache. Accessed Nov. 24, 2010.
  3. Crystal SC, et al. Epidemiology of tension-type headache. Current Pain and Headache Report. 2010;14:449.
  4. Headache: Hope through research. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/headache/detail_headache.htm. Accessed Nov. 29, 2010.
  5. Monteith TS. Tension type headache in adolescence and childhood: Where are we now? Current Pain and Headache Report. 2010;14:424.
  6. Taylor FR. Tension-type headache in adults: Pathophysiology, clinical features and diagnosis. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Nov. 24, 2010.
  7. Lenaerts ME. Epidemiology of tension-type headache (TTH). Expert Opinion on Pharmacotherapy. 2009;10:1261.
  8. Headache diary. National Headache Foundation. http://www.headaches.org/pdf/Headache_Diary.pdf. Accessed Nov. 30, 2010.
  9. Taylor FR. Tension-type headache in adults: Acute treatment. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Nov. 24, 2010.
  10. Taylor FR. Tension-type headache in adults: Preventive treatment. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Nov. 24, 2010.
  11. Holroyd AH, et al. Tricyclic antidepressants for migraine and tension-type headaches. British Medical Journal. 2010;341:841.
  12. Linde K, et al. Acupuncture for tension-type headache. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 2009:CD007587.
DS00304 Feb. 8, 2011

© 1998-2013 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research (MFMER). All rights reserved. A single copy of these materials may be reprinted for noncommercial personal use only. "Mayo," "Mayo Clinic," "MayoClinic.com," "EmbodyHealth," "Enhance your life," and the triple-shield Mayo Clinic logo are trademarks of Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research.

  • Reprints
  • Print

  • Share on:

  • Email

Advertisement


Text Size: smaller largerlarger