Factors Influencing Headache Severity in Patients with Chronic Tension Type Headache attending Tertiary Health Care Facility

Chronic tension type headache (CTTH) produces disability among children, adolescents and adults resulting in poor quality of life with adverse socio-economic impact among patients and their family. Awareness on headache severity and various associated factors is essential for appropriate management.

To assess the severity of headache and its various influencing factors among patients of CTTH.

A cross sectional study was conducted in a tertiary care center North India to assess the severity of headache and its associated factors in patients of CTTH. Using consecutive sampling techniques, 169 patients who were diagnosed with CTTH, treated with analgesics or/and betablockers were recruited after taking informed written consent. Wong Backer Foundation Pain intensity scale was used to assess the severity of pain.

A pain severity score of six out of ten was reported by 56% of the patients followed by score of eight by 37% of the patients and the mean pain score reported by the patients was 6.62±1.16. Significantly more patients of CTTH who are married (p=0.037), had duration of illness less than two years (p<0.001) and who were treated with only analgesics (p<0.001) reported higher severity of headache.

Patients with CTTH experience moderate to high severity of headache. Higher pain score was reported by patients who are married, had shorter duration of illness and were treated with only analgesics. To aid in appropriate pharmacological and non-pharmacological management, it is important for nurses to monitor the severity of headache in patients with CTTH and identify patients who are at risk for severe headache.