The muscle contractions that cause tension headache may in turn be caused by faulty posture or by harmful habits such as clenching the jaws or tensing the back or neck, often in response to psychological stress. Vascular headaches such as migraine may be triggered by alcohol, certain foods and medications, loud noise and bright light, and psychological stress. Tension headache can sometimes be prevented by posture correction or other physical therapy. But the best approach to headache avoidance may be to reduce the physical response to psychological stress through stress-management techniques such as relaxation exercises, meditation, and biofeedback. Recurrent vascular headache may be prevented or at least made less frequent by avoiding the foods and other substances known to trigger attacks, by stress-management techniques, or by medications such as methysergide, antidepressants, and drugs used to control blood pressure.
Most headaches are acute, temporary conditions.
They either go away by themselves or quickly respond to painkilling medications. The headache may be structural - a symptom of some other disorder that requires prompt medical attention. Simple physical methods may also be effective. They include warm compresses or ice packs, massage, and rest. Tension headaches often subside after a good night's sleep.