When standing, hold your shoulders back and your head level. Good posture can help keep your muscles from tensing. For cold, wrap ice, an ice pack or frozen vegetables in a cloth to protect your skin. For heat, use a heating pad set on low, a hot-water bottle, a warm compress or a hot towel. Applying heat or ice - whichever you prefer - to sore muscles may ease a tension-type headache. And if you're caught in a stressful situation, consider stepping back. Another way is to allow more time to relax. One way to help reduce stress is by planning ahead and organizing your day. A variety of strategies can help you reduce the severity and frequency of chronic tension-type headaches without using medicine. Rest, ice packs or a long, hot shower may be all you need to relieve a tension-type headache. Ask your doctor about how often to use pain relievers while you’re taking preventive medication. In the meantime, overuse of pain relievers for your headaches may interfere with the effects of the preventive drugs. Your doctor will monitor your treatment to see how the preventive medication is working. So don't get frustrated if you haven't seen improvements shortly after you begin taking a drug. Preventive medications may require several weeks or more to build up in your system before they take effect. Other medications that may prevent tension-type headaches include anticonvulsants, such as gabapentin and topiramate (Topamax, Qsymia, others). Evidence also supports the use of the antidepressants venlafaxine (Effexor XR) and mirtazapine (Remeron). Side effects of these medications may include constipation, drowsiness and dry mouth. Tricyclic antidepressants, including amitriptyline and protriptyline, are the most commonly used medications to prevent tension-type headaches. Your doctor may prescribe medications to reduce the frequency and severity of attacks, especially if you have frequent or chronic headaches that aren't relieved by pain medication and other therapies. Opioids, or narcotics, are rarely used because of their side effects and potential for dependency. For people who experience both migraines and episodic tension-type headaches, a triptan can effectively relieve the pain of both headaches. Many combination drugs are available without a prescription. Combination drugs may be more effective than single-ingredient pain relievers. Aspirin or acetaminophen (Tylenol, others) or both are often combined with caffeine or a sedative drug in a single medication. These include the drugs aspirin, ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, others) and naproxen sodium (Aleve). Simple pain relievers available without a prescription are usually the first line of treatment for reducing headache pain. Acute medicationsĪ variety of medications, both nonprescription and prescription, are available to reduce the pain of a headache, including: Unfortunately, repeated use of pain relievers that are available without a prescription can actually cause another type of headache, medication overuse headache.
Some people with tension-type headaches don't seek medical attention and try to treat the pain on their own.
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