Summary

• Tension-type headaches can be either episodic or chronic.
• Stress and mental tension are common triggers.
• Symptoms include dull, non-pulsatile, bilateral, constricting pain (not severe); pericranial tenderness is common.
• Unlike migraine, there is no significant nausea, no vomiting, and a lack of aggravation by routine physical activity.
• Usually responds to simple analgesics; preventative treatments have less evidence for their effectiveness.
• Non-drug therapies include relaxation, EMG biofeedback, CBT, and physiotherapy.