Tension-Type Headache: Toward an Integrative Multidimensional Framework for Clinical Stratification and Personalized Management

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Abstract
Tension-type headache (TTH) is the most prevalent primary headache disorder worldwide, contributing substantially to individual disability and global socioeconomic burden. Despite its high prevalence, TTH remains clinically heterogeneous, with episodic and chronic forms influenced by the dynamic interplay of peripheral, central, psychosocial, and lifestyle-related mechanisms. Peripheral musculoskeletal factors, including craniocervical muscle alterations and myofascial trigger points, interact with central sensitization processes, while psychosocial stressors, coping strategies, and lifestyle habits such as sleep and physical activity modulate pain perception and chronification risk. Current approaches often address these domains in isolation, limiting therapeutic effectiveness and the understanding of interindividual variability. This narrative review critically synthesizes evidence on the multifactorial determinants of TTH, providing an integrative conceptual framework. We systematically searched PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science for articles published between 2010 and 2025, including conceptually or methodologically foundational studies outside this range. Relevant studies were selected based on predefined inclusion criteria and synthesized narratively to highlight key mechanisms and contributing factors. The proposed model emphasizes multidimensional assessment, incorporating peripheral musculoskeletal evaluation, central pain modulation, psychosocial profiling, and lifestyle factors, thereby providing a conceptual basis for future personalized management approaches. Recognizing TTH as a dynamic, multidimensional condition may inform clinical assessment and patient-centered interventions, while also highlighting key gaps for future longitudinal and multimodal research aimed at validating the framework and improving individualized therapeutic strategies. The evidence presented is primarily narrative and observational, and clinical applicability should be confirmed in future studies.
Funding Information
  • FisiosurI+D (FS1TTH26)

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