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Reliable, easy-to-read patient information on common medical conditions — written in plain language, free of jargon, and grounded in current evidence. Browse the most frequent diagnoses, understand what they mean for everyday life, and learn which steps and questions help you have a focused conversation with your doctor.

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Tension headache epidemiology and demographics

Introduction

Overview

Overview

Tension headache is one of the most common type of headaches. Tension-type headache (TTH) is the most prevalent headache in the general population. Tension-type headache (TTH) is the second-most prevalent disorder in the world. A Danish Registry showed 1 year prevalances of infrequent episodic, frequent episodic and and chronic TTH were 63.5, 21.6 and 0.9% respectively. A United States study showed that the 1 year prevalences of episodic and chronic TTH were 38.3 and 2.2%. Females have a higher prevalence compared to males. Limited data suggests TTH to be more prevalent in whites compared to black in the US, irrespective of sex. A recent study showed that TTH prevalence peaking in the 4th decade. A Danish study showed decreasing prevalence of TTH with increasing age.

Epidemiology and Demographics

Epidemiology and Demographics

Tension headache is one of the most common type of headaches.[1][2]

  • Tension-type headache (TTH) is the most prevalent headache in the general population
  • Tension-type headache (TTH) is the second-most prevalent disorder in the world[3]
  • A Danish Registry showed 1 year prevalances of infrequent episodic, frequent episodic and and chronic TTH were 63.5, 21.6 and 0.9% respectively.
  • A United States study showed that the 1 year prevalences of episodic and chronic TTH were 38.3 and 2.2%
  • Females have a higher prevalence compared to males.[4]
  • Limited data suggests TTH to be more prevalent in whites compared to black in the US, irrespective of sex.[5]
  • A recent study showed that TTH prevalence peaking in the 4th decade
  • A Danish study showed decreasing prevalence of TTH with increasing age.[6]
References

References

  1. ↑ Jensen RH (February 2018). “Tension-Type Headache – The Normal and Most Prevalent Headache”. Headache. 58 (2): 339–345. doi:10.1111/head.13067. PMID 28295304.
  2. ↑ Martelletti P, Birbeck GL, Katsarava Z, Jensen RH, Stovner LJ, Steiner TJ (February 2013). “The Global Burden of Disease survey 2010, Lifting The Burden and thinking outside-the-box on headache disorders”. J Headache Pain. 14: 13. doi:10.1186/1129-2377-14-13. PMC 3620501. PMID 23565711.
  3. ↑ “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.
  4. ↑ 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.
  5. ↑ 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.
  6. ↑ 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.


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