Abstract
When it thinks about the pathophysiology and the treatment of tension-type headache, the classification and a diagnostic criteria of it are important. Tension-type headache is classified in one of the functional headaches by the headache classification committee of the international headache society in 1988, and contains a disease group such as tension headache when mental and physical stress becomes a cause. The ischemic contraction of the posterior neck muscle is one of the causative factors of tension-type headache associated with disordered of pericranial muscles, and then the participation of the central pathophysiology are pointed out. The imbalance condition of the immunity is suggested, too. Though what is done based on the pathophysiology is of course, a cause is multiple, and symptomatic therapy becomes important as for the treatment for tensiontype headache, too. There are various cures in the nerve block therapy, the medication, psychotherapy, physiotherapy, the laser treatment, and so on. A stellate ganglion block is often effective in the patient with tension-type headache. A stellate ganglion block returns imbalance condition of the function of the sympathetic nervous system and controls an edema and inflammation of the blood vessel wall. Yokota states that a stellate ganglion block influences a pineal and suggests the possibility that it is involved in the adjustment of the immunity. But, if it becomes the thing of evidence of the treatment, there is no report of proving a stellate ganglion block effect against the tension-type headache objectively. We must advance that evidence of the treatment is cleared by all means.
