27 Mar Hope for Tension Headache Sufferers

Tension headaches are common and affect about 20% of the population.  While they are the most common type of headache, the exact cause of tension headaches is largely unknown.  This can make treating them extremely difficult.  While tension headaches may be a daily occurrence for some people, in others, they come and go.  Regardless, tension headaches cause pain, thus making people skip work or lower productivity overall.  Fortunately, there is hope for tension headache sufferers that a new therapy may help relieve the pain they feel when they undergo a tension headache.

Tension headaches are also known as stress headaches.  They typically occur when the neck and scalp muscles become contracted, which normally occurs when a person is stressed.  It can also occur from working long hours being hunched over a computer or a book.  People are also more prone to get tension headaches when they are going through extreme physical or emotional stress, alcohol or caffeine intake, fatigue, or inadequate sleep.  Women tend to be more prone to developing tension headaches than are men.

Early treatment is the best treatment when it comes to tension headaches.  Many people are able to get relief through the use of over the counter pain medication at the start of the headache.  However, this does not work for all patients and typically does not work long term.  If you are someone who suffers from chronic tension headaches, constantly using over the counter pain medication can lead to further complications down the road.  Aside from over the counter pain medication, patients may use anything from prescription medication to acupuncture to help with their symptoms.

Most tension headache treatment relies on trial and error.  Over the counter pain medication works for some but not others.  Yet other patients swear by acupuncture while yet other patients say they do not notice a difference.  Tension headaches are difficult to treat because physicians are still unsure of what exactly causes them.  Regenerative therapies such as platelet-rich plasma injections and stem cell therapy have been shown to offer some relief to patients suffering from tension headaches.  It is not fully understood why these methods help since the exact cause of tension headaches is unknown.  However, they have proven to be effective in various patients who suffer from chronic tension headaches.

While tension headaches are a common occurrence and are not life-threatening, they do present a problem to the general public.  Aside from the pain an individual feels during a tension headache, they also lead to lost productivity and missed days in the workplace.  Implementing another viable treatment option for those suffering from tension headaches could greatly improve the quality of life of many people.  Accurate pain management of tension headaches does require a level of trial and error.  Fortunately, regenerative medicine has very few side effects and risks, with a lot of upside potential.  Most people will suffer from a tension headache at least once in their lives.  However, if these headaches become chronic, it is worth taking a trip to the doctor and asking if you may be a candidate for regenerative therapies.