Headaches: Tension - Causes

Risk Factors

Tension-type headaches are the most common type of headache. Nearly everyone has at least one tension-type headache during their lifetime. Episodic tension-type headaches are far more common than chronic tension-type headaches.

Headaches in Adults

Gender. Tension-type headaches are more common among women than men.

Age. Tension-type headaches are most likely to occur among people in their 40s. They tend to occur less as people become older.

Headaches in Children

Headaches are rare before age 4 but increase in prevalence throughout childhood, reaching a peak around age 13. Many children with tension-type headache episodes also suffer from some form of emotional disorder.

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Psychosocial factors associated with childhood tension-type headaches include:

• Sleep problems. Many children who experience chronic daily headaches suffer from sleep disturbances, especially difficulty falling asleep.
• Moderate or severe depression.
• Emotional problems including repressed anger.
• Family stress. This includes maternal illness or separation, family bereavement, relationship problems, mental illness in a family member, and other stressful family events.
• Problems at school. According to a National Headache Foundation survey, nearly 30% of children miss school because of headaches. For many children, the start of the school season can be a particularly stressful time.

The National Headache Foundation recommends these tips for parents:

• Keep a diary of your child's headaches noting time of onset, length and intensity of attack, location of pain, and dietary triggers.
• Make sure your child gets plenty of sleep at regular times.
• Avoid changes in child's eating routine (hunger and eating at irregular times can trigger headaches).
• Discuss any headache concerns with your child's doctor.

Review Date: 11/15/2010
Reviewed By: Harvey Simon, MD, Editor-in-Chief, Associate Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School; Physician, Massachusetts General Hospital. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org).