Mild headache (tension-type)
Ontario assessment · Screening, treatment, documentation and follow-up
Clinical evidence & sources
Clinical basis & sources
- Primary source
- OCP Expanding Scope of Practice
Sources used
- Headaches in over 12s: diagnosis and management, CG150National Institute for Health and Care Excellence · 2025-06-03
- HeadachesWorcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust · Accessed 2026-10-13
- Meningitis and septicaemia: know the symptoms and when to get helpNHS Essex Integrated Care Board · Accessed 2026-10-13
- ACR Appropriateness Criteria: HeadacheAmerican College of Radiology · Accessed 2026-10-13
Allowable drugs under Schedule 4 (4)
Drugs an Ontario pharmacist may prescribe for Mild headache (tension-type) under O. Reg. 256/24, Schedule 4. Choice still depends on the assessment, contraindications, allergies, and product availability — this is the eligible list, not a recommendation.
- Acetaminophen
- Acetylsalicylic acid (ASA)
- Ibuprofen
- Naproxen
Symptoms this assessment screens
- Mild, bilateral pressing or tightening pain
- Eases with rest or simple analgesics
- Possible link to stress, posture, screen time, or dehydration
Red flags — any positive means refer
- Sudden 'worst-ever' / thunderclap headache
- Weakness, vision change, slurred speech, or confusion
- Fever with a stiff neck
- Headache after a head injury
- New headache in a patient over 50
- Progressively worsening or daily escalating pattern
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