American family physician
-
This is the common "tension" or "nervous" headache. It is extracranial in origin, and is often precipitated by anxiety or depression. The headache is usually bilateral, nonpulsatile and of longer duration than migraine, with no focal signs or symptoms. While aspirin remains the most practical and useful analgesic for head pain of low intensity, combination agents are useful and drugs to control anxiety associated with headache are appropriate.