2.1 Infrequent episodic tension-type headache


Infrequent episodes of headache, typically bilateral, pressing or tightening in quality and of mild to moderate intensity, lasting minutes to days. The pain does not worsen with routine physical activity and is not associated with nausea, although photophobia or phonophobia may be present.

Diagnostic criteria:
  1. At least 10 episodes of headache occurring on <1 day/month on average (<12 days/year) and fulfilling criteria B-D
  2. Lasting from 30 minutes to 7 days
  3. At least two of the following four characteristics:
    1. bilateral location
    2. pressing or tightening (non-pulsating) quality
    3. mild or moderate intensity
  4. Both of the following:
    1. no nausea or vomiting
    2. no more than one of photophobia or phonophobia
  5. Not better accounted for by another ICHD-3 diagnosis1.

When headache fulfils criteria for both 1.5 Probable migraine and 2.1 Infrequent episodic tension-type headache, code as 2.1 Infrequent episodic tension-type headache (or as either subtype of it for which the criteria are fulfilled) under the general rule that definite diagnoses always trump probable diagnoses.