Which headache type presents with bilateral, band-like pressure and no nausea or photophobia, lasting hours to days?

Which headache type presents with bilateral, band-like pressure and no nausea or photophobia, lasting hours to days?

• A. Migraine
• B. Cluster
• C. Tension-type
• D. Temporal arteritis

Answer: (C)

This pattern is classic for tension-type headache. It typically presents as a bilateral, pressing or tightening (band-like) sensation around the head, with mild to moderate intensity. Unlike migraine, it usually lacks nausea and significant photophobia or phonophobia, and there is no throbbing or focal neurological symptoms. The duration fits as well—headache episodes can last from hours to days, which aligns with the description. In contrast, migraines are often unilateral, pulsating, and associated with nausea or light sensitivity, making them unlikely here. Cluster headaches deliver severe, unilateral pain around the eye with autonomic features such as tearing or nasal stuffiness, and are not bilateral or band-like. Temporal arteritis tends to occur in older adults and comes with scalp tenderness, jaw claudication, and systemic symptoms—not the bilateral band-like profile described.

This pattern is classic for tension-type headache. It typically presents as a bilateral, pressing or tightening (band-like) sensation around the head, with mild to moderate intensity. Unlike migraine, it usually lacks nausea and significant photophobia or phonophobia, and there is no throbbing or focal neurological symptoms. The duration fits as well—headache episodes can last from hours to days, which aligns with the description.

In contrast, migraines are often unilateral, pulsating, and associated with nausea or light sensitivity, making them unlikely here. Cluster headaches deliver severe, unilateral pain around the eye with autonomic features such as tearing or nasal stuffiness, and are not bilateral or band-like. Temporal arteritis tends to occur in older adults and comes with scalp tenderness, jaw claudication, and systemic symptoms—not the bilateral band-like profile described.