Chronic Tension Headaches

There is a fairly good chance that someone you know has had some kind of headache recently, just because there are so many different types of headaches around. These types of headache may be the result of dehydration, missed meals, migraines or other types of headache like a tension headache or even a chronic tension headache.

A tension headache can feel like a tight rubber band wrapped tightly around your head, however, the pain from a tension headache goes away after a short time. But just think about having to pu up with a tension headache every day – for weeks on end. This kind of tension headache is called a chronic tension headache because the pain may be 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 experienced chronic tension headaches, say that the pain is as if they were wearing a tight band around their heads. Other people may describe severe chronic tension headache pain as a hooded cape that hangs down over their shoulders.

Nevertheless, in the case of both tension headaches and chronic tension headaches, the pain can be felt either in the forehead region, in the sides of the head or sometimes even at the rear of the head. At its normal strength chronic tension headaches deliver a dull, aching pain, although sometimes the pain is like a tourniquet. In general, the pain is mild to moderately severe.

The severity of the pain varies with the general physical condition of the individual concerned and it can also vary with the various forms headaches. Many people start to experience chronic tension headaches as soon as they wake up in the morning, although others say that their chronic tension headaches begin in 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.

Individuals who suffer from chronic tension headaches are thought to be more prone to anxiety and depression than non-sufferers of chronic tension headaches. It is further 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 before getting their chronic tension headache attended to.

Those suffering from chronic tension headaches can still lead pretty normal and fulfilling lives with the correct medical advice and treatment. Over time, they may come to understand what triggers their headaches and how preventing those triggers occurring can stop the onset of another bout of chronic tension headaches.

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