Context

Tension-type headache (TTH) is the most common form of primary headache. Aetiology of TTH is far from categorical, as is reflected by the wealth of synonymous identifiers, such as tension headache, muscle contraction headache, psychomyelogenic headache or psychogenic headache, to name but a few. The condition can however be divided into infrequent, more frequent and chronic forms, based on the number of headaches and headache days per month. Infrequent episodic TTH has a prevalence rate of approximately 40% while almost one-third of 40-year-olds have frequent episodic TTH, having a profound negative impact on societal productivity.1

Most of those who experience episodic TTH self-medicate with over-the-counter (OTC) remedies of which ibuprofen is but one available treatment.