It begins in an innocuous way, a typical home argument, a few angry shouts, and a moment later the grip of a heavy rim of pain falls on the head of the main character. That's how the headache begins, caused by negative emotions. Stress and emotions create excessive muscle tension that strikes like an electric current. The paralyzing contraction of the muscles of the neck, shoulders and back is considered to be the cause of pain.
Muscle contraction - Atlas's pain
The doctors found in the painful contraction of the muscles of the neck, shoulders and back of the imitation of the mythological figure of Atlas, lifting the entire globe with patience on his shoulders and head - they labeled painfully Atlas.
Causes of tension pain
This pain can cause many reasons: stress, emotions, lack of sleep, fatigue, not very comfortable working position, atmospheric changes, alcohol abuse. No wonder that this pain is the most common of others and affects most people repeatedly. All it takes is work fatigue, long reading, or the already mentioned stress and emotions that there will be persistent, dull pain covering the entire head. It may affect students who are studying for the exam, Kowalska, who was wrongly blamed by the superior, and above all people who easily succumb to extreme emotions and are annoyed with any reason.
The most important psychogenic background?
Despite the controversy over the causes of pain, most experts have until recently thought that tension pain is psychogenic. What does it mean ? This was best explained by a doctor who said it was a pain in itself - a pain in the soul that is felt not only in the head but also in the whole body. Currently, however, most doctors agree with the opinion that tension headache results from physiological changes. The problem is that these changes are mainly visible in muscle contractions, and the full mechanism of pain is not yet clear.
What the tension pain is different from migraine
Tension pain - because of it - many features differ from migraines. First of all, it's not preceded by the so-called harbingers of pain, it is not half-covered, but usually covers the whole head. The pain is constant, usually referred to as the feeling of "pulling", in both the temples or in the area of the occiput, as a headband or cap squeezing the head or as boring, weight, pressure. The sufferers describe him generally as the oppression of an iron rim that produces a dull, persistent headache, or as a feeling of great weight pressing on the head, which can be compared to the well-being of the mythological Atlas. There is also no tendency to vomit, generally characterized by migraine-like pain. The symptoms of anxiety and depression are also characteristic. The pain intensifies under the influence of effort and emotions. Migraine usually affects the middle of the head, tension pain throughout.
How long has the head hurt from it?
The time amplitude of tension pain is extraordinary, which can last only half an hour or continue until ... a week! It can be sporadic, occur eg several times a month or in extreme cases occur daily and harass all day long.
Is it just a headache?
Many patients with tension-type headache suspect that they have a tumor or other disease.The correct reaction, calming the patient is therefore to check whether the right cause of pain is sometimes not the disease of the eye, ears, teeth, nose, etc. An accurate medical examination may reveal such a physiological cause of pain. However, if the only identifiable cause of the iron rim on the head is the acute contraction of the shoulder and neck muscles - this is the very same test that calms the patient and thus can help reduce pain.
TREATMENT OF PRESSURE PAIN OF HEAD
Prevent first
Prevention of tension-type pains consists primarily in avoiding factors conducive to the occurrence of pain (avoiding stress, fatigue); for the use of psychotherapy, relaxation exercises, blocking the so-called pain relief points (on the cap and nape) with local anesthetics (lidocaine). In the relaxing effect on the physical condition of the body, relaxation, warmth, massage, careful stretching of the occipital and neck muscles are very beneficial. These simple methods in combination, for example with relaxation, can sometimes very effectively reduce or remove pain.
Treatment of short-term (episodic) tension pains
In most cases, the tension headache can be treated with ordinary painkillers (NSAIDs, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs). Popular painkillers are: acetylsalicylic acid, paracetamol, ibuprofen, naproxen, etc. No opioid analgesics, not very effective in this type of headache, are administered.
Treatment of chronic tension pains
In the chronic form, despite the use of NSAIDs, exacerbation of symptoms may occur. Antidepressants (amitriptyline, fluoxetine), sedatives (benzodiazepines) and antihypertensive medications are recommended.
Danger of drug abuse
However, there is a danger of constant use of painkillers. It consists in the fact that after a few hours, when the beneficial effects of the medicine stop, the pain may return. It is understandable that the patient is again applying the therapeutic dose. Hence, there may be a strong dependence on painkillers. This is especially true for people who often have pain attacks. In such cases, instead of the tension pain, so-called drug-induced headache.
How to prevent abuse of medicines?
A good way is to combine the analgesic effect of the drug with the mentioned simple therapeutic methods of affecting the physical state of the body, i.e. rest, relaxation, massage, aromatherapy, etc. It is even better to simultaneously try to influence the mental state by eliminating the negative emotions that cause the appearance of pain . Sometimes it requires bold attempts to solve difficult life conflicts, sometimes only a few conversations with an experienced psychologist are enough.
ed. Edward Ozga Michalski, MA
consultation with med. Tomasz Rosochowicz
