Tension headache natural history, complications and prognosis

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1] Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Sabeeh Islam, MBBS [2]

Overview

Tension headache is considered to have a high socioeconomic impact, being the most common type of headache. It is a life long condition and usually results in reduced quality of life and marked functional disability. Tension type headache if left untreated or undiagnosed, is found to be associated with increased risk of depression and suicide, due to its huge socioeconomic impact.

Natural history, Complications and Prognosis

Tension headache is considered to have a high socioeconomic impact, being the most common type of headache.^[1]
It is a life long condition and usually results in reduced quality of life and marked functional disability.^[2]
Tension headaches that occur as a symptom of another condition are usually relieved when the underlying condition is treated.^[3]
Frequent use of pain medications in patients with tension-type headache may lead to the development of medication overuse headache.
Tension type headache if left untreated or undiagnosed, is found to be associated with increased risk of depression and suicide, due to its huge socioeconomic impact.^[4]

References

↑ “Global, regional, and national burden of migraine and tension-type headache, 1990-2016: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2016”. Lancet Neurol. 17 (11): 954–976. November 2018. doi:10.1016/S1474-4422(18)30322-3. PMC 6191530. PMID 30353868.
↑ Couch JR (December 2005). “The long-term prognosis of tension-type headache”. Curr Pain Headache Rep. 9 (6): 436–41. doi:10.1007/s11916-005-0024-5. PMID 16282045.
↑ Wang SJ, Liu HC, Fuh JL, Liu CY, Lin KP, Chen HM, Lin CH, Wang PN, Hsu LC, Wang HC, Lin KN (July 1997). “Prevalence of headaches in a Chinese elderly population in Kinmen: age and gender effect and cross-cultural comparisons”. Neurology. 49 (1): 195–200. doi:10.1212/wnl.49.1.195. PMID 9222190.
↑ Schwartz BS, Stewart WF, Simon D, Lipton RB (February 1998). “Epidemiology of tension-type headache”. JAMA. 279 (5): 381–3. doi:10.1001/jama.279.5.381. PMID 9459472.

Template:WikiDoc Sources

[pmid30353868-1] “Global, regional, and national burden of migraine and tension-type headache, 1990-2016: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2016”. Lancet Neurol. 17 (11): 954–976. November 2018. doi:10.1016/S1474-4422(18)30322-3. PMC 6191530. PMID 30353868.

[pmid16282045-2] Couch JR (December 2005). “The long-term prognosis of tension-type headache”. Curr Pain Headache Rep. 9 (6): 436–41. doi:10.1007/s11916-005-0024-5. PMID 16282045.

[pmid9222190-3] Wang SJ, Liu HC, Fuh JL, Liu CY, Lin KP, Chen HM, Lin CH, Wang PN, Hsu LC, Wang HC, Lin KN (July 1997). “Prevalence of headaches in a Chinese elderly population in Kinmen: age and gender effect and cross-cultural comparisons”. Neurology. 49 (1): 195–200. doi:10.1212/wnl.49.1.195. PMID 9222190.

[pmid9459472-4] Schwartz BS, Stewart WF, Simon D, Lipton RB (February 1998). “Epidemiology of tension-type headache”. JAMA. 279 (5): 381–3. doi:10.1001/jama.279.5.381. PMID 9459472.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]