Chronic Tension Headaches

By Rose Williams

There is quite a reasonable chance that someone you know has experienced some sort of headache today, just because there are so many different kinds of headaches around. These kinds of headache could be the result of dehydration, missed meals, migraines or other sorts of headache like a tension headache or even a chronic tension headache.

While a tension headache feels like a tight elastic band around your head, the pain from tension headaches goes away after a short while. Now imagine having to suffer from a tension headache every day. This kind of tension headache is classified as a chronic tension headache because the pain is experienced at least 15 days a month for a period of several months.

With the case of chronic tension headaches, the symptoms of the headache are roughly the same as those of tension headaches, except that the pain never really seems to go away. People who have had chronic tension headaches, say that the pain is as if they were wearing a tight band around their heads. Other people have described severe chronic tension headache pain as a hooded cape that hangs down over their shoulders.

In the case of both tension headaches and chronic tension headaches, the pain can be located at the forehead region, sides of the head and sometimes even at the back of the head. At its usual strength the chronic tension headache is a dull, aching pain, although sometimes the pain is like a pressurized tightness. Generally the pain is mild to moderately intense.

The severity of the pain differs with the general physical state of the individual concerned and it can also vary with the different types headaches. A lot of people begin to experience chronic tension headaches the moment they awake in the morning, whereas others have reported that their chronic tension headaches do not begin until the early hours of the day.

Normal tension headaches are more common than chronic tension headaches, however twice as many women as men suffer from chronic tension headaches. The duration and the severity of the pain is about the same as the normal variety in this form of headache, however the pain from the chronic tension headache is almost a daily occurrence and is also continuous.

People who suffer from chronic tension headaches are thought to be more susceptible to anxiety and depression than non-sufferers of tension headaches. It is also known that chronic tension headaches are more common during or after heightened periods of stress and anxiety. Anyone who has mood disorders like depression or anxiety should have these conditions treated prior to getting their chronic tension headache seen to.

Those suffering from chronic tension headaches can still lead pretty normal and fulfilling lives with the proper medication and treatment. In time, they may come to understand what triggers their headaches and how avoiding these triggers can stop the start of another bout of chronic tension headaches. - 29881

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