If you have a mixture of tension and migraine headaches, then the cause of your tension headaches is probably the same as your migraine. If you only have tension type headaches, then the cause of your tension headaches are not known. There is little evidence that there is "increased tension" in the muscles of the head and neck of patients with tension headaches compared to normal. What is clear is that tension headaches can be triggered in those patients who are prone to get them. Sleep deprivation, skipped meals, eye strain, prolonged poor posture may also be triggers for tension headaches.
Because only a small number of tension headaches have disability, there is relatively little investment in tension headache research.
This educational content was written by Brian D. Loftus, MD, a neurologist, headache specialist and a developer of iHeadache. The science and study of headaces is changing rapidly. If there is information on this page that is incorrect or needs revision, please contact us.
iHeadache is a comprehensive electronic headache diary that tracks how many headaches you are having, your disability, medication usage, triggers, pain and more.
Originally developed for the iPhone and BlackBe rry, iHeadache is now available online. Your data is available, at a glance or in detail, when you need it.
Share your data with your doctor to optimize your treatment plan. Accurate data tracking helps your doctor determine what works and what doesn't.