The treatment for tension-type headache can be broken down into acute therapy for when you get a headache, and then preventative therapy. Typically for episodic tension-type headache, meaning headaches less than 15 days a month, we use medications such as over-the-counter NSAIDS, or non-steroidal anti- inflammatory drugs like Ibuprofen, Tylenol, etc. For patients with chronic tension-type headache, meaning headaches 15 or more days a month, we look to try to prevent and decrease the number of headaches from occurring and we use certain medications like Tricyclic anti-depressants and some muscle relaxers.
