Tension headaches typically do not require an official diagnosis if they are not very severe or frequent and do not occur secondary to another health condition. Tension headaches can be differentiated from other types of headaches because they usually respond to over-the-counter treatments such as acetaminophen and ibuprofen.[1][2]
How are tension headaches diagnosed?
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•Last Updated: May 16, 2025
Tension headaches typically do not require an official diagnosis unless they are severe or frequent and not attributed to another health condition. They can often be identified by their positive response to over-the-counter medications like acetaminophen and ibuprofen, which indicates that the headache is likely a tension-type headache.