Stress a problem of 20th century

Health Science – Stress a problem of the 20th Century

Tension headache
Definition:
Is the most common type of headache, and yet its causes aren't well understood. A tension headache is generally a diffuse, mild to moderate pain that many people describe as feeling as if there's a tight band around their head.
Symptoms:
Tension headache symptoms are apparent when the pain on your headfeels like you are wearing a very tight head band. There are some who describes the pain as a squeeze or  a pressure on their head. 
Typical of tension headache symptom is that the pain is felt on both the left and right sides of the head, and then gradually spreads down to the neck region.
However, it is undeniable that there have been occasions when the pain is only experienced on one side ofthe head, or that it feels as if the pain originates from the neck region. 
The severity of the tension headache pain is unpredictable. Tension headache symptoms can range in intensity from mild to moderate to severe. This pain tend to come and go over time.

Causes:
The exact cause or causes of tension headache are unknown. Experts used to think that the pain of tension headache stemmed frommuscle contraction in the face, neck and scalp, perhaps as a result of heightened emotions, tension or stress. But research suggests that there doesn't appear to be a significant increase in muscle tension in people diagnosed with tension headache.

Treatment:
Some people with tension headaches don't seek medical attention, and try to treat the pain on their own. The problem with that is thatrepeated use of over-the-counter (OTC) pain relievers can actually cause overuse headaches.
A variety of medications, both OTC and prescription, are available to stop or reduce the pain of an existing headache attack, including:
* Analgesics. Analgesics are pain relievers, and a class of analgesics known as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are usually the first line of treatmentfor reducing headache pain. NSAIDs include the OTC drugs aspirin, ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, others) and naproxen sodium (Aleve). Prescription NSAIDs include naproxen (Naprelan, Naprosyn), indomethacin (Indocin) and ketorolac (Ketorolac Tromethamine). Acetaminophen (Tylenol, others) and aspirin are also analgesics, but they may be less effective than some NSAIDs in treating tension headachepain, and they're more likely to cause medication overuse headaches.
* Combination medications. Aspirin or acetaminophen or both are often combined with caffeine or a sedative drug in a single medication. For example, Excedrin combines aspirin, acetaminophen and caffeine. Combination drugs such as this may be more effective than are pure analgesics for pain relief. Although many combinationdrugs are available OTC, analgesic-sedative combinations can be obtained only by prescription because they may be addictive and can lead to chronic daily headache. Use them only with careful monitoring by your doctor.
* Other medications. For people who experience both migraines and episodic tension headaches, a triptan can effectively relieve the pain of both headaches. Opiates, or narcotics,are rarely used because of their side effects and potential for dependency.
Prevention:
Using medications in conjunction with stress management techniques may be more effective than is either treatment alone in reducing your tension headaches. Additionally, living a healthy lifestyle — getting enough sleep, not smoking, exercising regularly and eating healthy foods — may help prevent tensionheadaches.

Stress
Definition:
Stress is a feeling that's created when we react to particular events. It's the body's way of rising to a challenge and preparing to meet a tough situation with focus, strength, stamina, and heightened alertness.
Symptoms:
Stress affects us all. If you can spot the symptoms, you can manage them.
Do note, of course, that these symptoms may also be indicators...