Definition

1. Noun:
   • A common type of headache characterized by a dull, aching pain and a sensation of tightness or pressure, typically across the forehead, around the temples, or at the back of the head and neck. It is often associated with muscle tension in these areas, frequently caused by stress, anxiety, poor posture, or overwork.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • After staring at the computer screen for ten hours, she developed a painful tension headache.
  • Tension headaches are often described as feeling like a tight band around the head.
  • Managing stress is key to preventing frequent tension headaches.

Advanced Usage

• "to suffer from tension headaches": to experience this condition regularly or chronically.
  • She suffers from chronic tension headaches and has learned several relaxation techniques.
• "a bout of tension headache": a single episode or occurrence of this type of headache.
  • The stressful meeting triggered a severe bout of tension headache.

Variants and Related Words

• Tension-type headache: A more formal or clinical term for the same condition.
  • The doctor diagnosed her with a tension-type headache.
• Headache (n): The general term for pain in any region of the head.
• Migraine (n): A different, often more severe type of headache, typically involving throbbing pain, nausea, and sensitivity to light or sound.

Synonyms

• Stress headache: A synonym emphasizing the common cause.
• Muscle contraction headache: An older term describing the perceived mechanism.

Related Phrases

• To have a tension headache: The standard phrase to indicate experiencing this condition.
  • I can't come out tonight; I have a terrible tension headache.
• To trigger a tension headache: To cause a tension headache to start.
  • Lack of sleep and caffeine can trigger a tension headache for me.

Notes on Meaning

• Tension headache is a specific medical term for a primary headache disorder. It is distinct from secondary headaches, which are symptoms of another underlying condition (e.g., sinus infection, head injury). The pain is usually bilateral (affecting both sides of the head) and is not typically aggravated by routine physical activity.

Noun

1. a headache located at the back of the head; usually caused by body tension resulting from overwork or psychological stress