Tension headache

Tension headache is the most common headache type, producing a dull, pressing or tightening pain on both sides of the head without the nausea or aura of migraine.

People often describe it as a band around the head or pressure at the temples, forehead or back of the skull, and it is typically mild to moderate rather than disabling. Episodes last from thirty minutes to several days. Muscle tension in the neck and scalp, stress, poor sleep, eye strain and skipped meals are common contributors. Headaches occurring on fifteen or more days a month for more than three months are classified as chronic tension-type headache.

Diagnosis is clinical, based on the headache's features and the absence of migraine or secondary causes, with imaging reserved for warning signs such as sudden severe onset, neurological symptoms or a change in pattern. Cannabinoids have been studied mostly in migraine and chronic pain, and evidence specific to tension headache is minimal.