Anxiety Drug to Prevent Tension Headaches

Tension headaches are usually occur near the temples, with muscle pain in the neck and shoulders. Like the name, tension headaches are a result of stress, muscle pains or injuries, or mental conditions such as depression or anxiety. If anxiety is an underlying cause of your tension headaches, anti-anxiety medications may help ease the pain.

Symptoms

• According to the article "Headaches" as published on the Rutgers University website, tension headaches comprise one class of headaches while migraine and classic headaches make up the other. Tension and muscular headaches are the result of tension and tightness in the muscles. However, this tension can be traced to a number of causes. Emotional causes include depression, anxiety, stressful work/school/life schedule, and repressed anger. Also, people who engage in prolonged periods of sitting can suffer from tension headaches. The experience of a tension headache depends on the person, but most describe the pain as a dull, persistent ache around the top of the head.

Medications

• Over-the-counter medications can be used to treat the symptoms of a tension headache, but according to the article "Tension Headache: Treatments and Drugs" on MayoClinic.com, medications such as Excedrin, Tylenol, and Advil will eventually wear off and not be as effective as reducing the symptoms of the condition.

  However, researchers have linked tension headaches to the production of the brain chemical serotonin. For that reason, many doctors prescribe antidepressant medications to those suffering from tension headaches. Antidepressants can be also used to treat certain anxiety disorders.

  So, while your doctor may prescribe antidepressants to treat your tension headaches, you may not have depression or anxiety. However, you should talk to your doctor about being screened for those conditions, as they can contribute to tension headaches.

Treatments

• In addition to antidepressant medication, other effective treatments for tension headaches include psychotherapy, relaxation techniques, and physical therapy.

  According to Rutgers University, psychotherapy can help reduce the symptoms of stress associated with mental conditions such as anxiety, depression, or any other condition. Psychotherapy can also help those who are struggling with living with a chronic illness (if the tension headaches are extremely pervasive and last for weeks or months). Psychotherapy helps people maintain a positive outlook about their condition and to recognize that their headaches can be treated effectively.

  Relaxation techniques include meditation, visualization, and breathing exercises that can help reduce feelings of stress, negativity, and frustration. Relaxation techniques can have a preventative effect on tension headaches by lowering stress levels.

  Physical therapy is helpful for those who experience tension headaches as a result of a physical injury. The specifics of physical therapy for tension headaches depend on the type of injury and severity of the headache. Physical therapy can also mean the use of cold or hot compresses or massage applied to the neck, head, and shoulders.