How long can tension headaches last?

[Savvy_Darling]

Title is self explanatory.. anyone whose dealt with tension headaches how long can they last? I feel like for a week now I've been dealing with tension aches in my head and shoulders/neck. I'll get the pain on my forehead or temples or back of the head. I definitely feel like it's tension headaches as I've looked up symptoms and it seems pretty descriptive of what I've been dealing with..
I did some self massages and trying to relax meditate and it did help relieve it temporarily.ive noticed things that aggravate it is looking down like when I'm on my phone or trying to lay on my pillow and sleep, my head feels sensitive to pressure on it like laying down against things. But massaging the area takes the pain right away. The pain also comes and goes or i accidentally aggravate it doing something like i mentioned above .. (wearing my glasses kind of aggravates it too) I've been trying not to stress out about it but my anxiety keeps making me worry about things like brain tumors or high blood pressure or diabetes. Just obviously bad health stuff..even though looking up tension headaches describes my symptoms. Just looking for people who've dealt with this before , how long they dealt with it and if what I've described soounds like anything you've experienced.

[swajj]

Tension headaches last for as long as you are tense. You have a normal headache but you start worrying that it is something sinister, so more tension which causes more headaches which causes more tension....you need to relax and stop worrying about it being something like a tumour. Pain is one of the last symptoms of a brain tumour and you would be very sick beforehand. You should still see the doctor though. High blood pressure can cause headaches and anxiety can cause high blood pressure. High blood pressure is easily treated and is only a problem when it goes untreated.

[Catherine S]

Good post swajj, you explain it really well.

I get this kind of headache alot, usually on the right side running down from behind my ear to just where my neck meets my shoulder. I get it through holding my head in a certain position when reading or using the computer etc. I don't know I'm doing it until I feel the pain, and very painful it can be too. I never know if it's a nerve or just tension but I know it's nothing to worry about as I've been getting this for some years now. And my general posture is crap too, so a combination if ever there was one.

ISB x

[conan]

yeah more or less indefinitely, in my experience. i've had them last a good week or so. "as long as you are tense" is a great descriptor.

[Savvy_Darling]

Okay so it's variable and not uncommon to last a week or so.. it's not like it's constant pain either it comes and goes throughout the day . I do really wonder if my anxiety is dragging it out since I'm thinking about it and checking to see if I still feel pain.
I really hope it isn't high blood pressure as I can't see a doctor until I get new health insurance :( which I'm working on now but I hope I don't have a stroke or something if it is.. I'm only 22 I hate worrying about blood pressure already! Few monthes ago when I went to the doctor it was better than optimal so it wasn't high at all not even at risk for being high. But I guess that sort of thing can change quickly.
ISB- yes I also have bad posture and sit in bad positions like I've realized I scrunch my shoulders up to ears a lot which isn't good.. but your right you really don't notice you're doing it until you feel pain.
I also got a new mattress for Christmas and I wonder if that could be a cause since it's firmer and the ones I had before were so soft like pillow tops but I wanted a firmer bed for a change. But I'll try to relax.. thanks for the replies it helps to talk to people with similar experiences..

[swajj]

It is very unlikely that you have high blood pressure, especially at your age. But the only way to know for sure is to get a doctor to check you out. I have high blood pressure and the first indication of it was a bad headache. However, many years ago when I didn't have high blood pressure I experienced bad headaches from tension. The point is that there are no doctors here who can examine you and check your blood pressure or check that you don't have diabetes so you should see a doctor. I'm curious though as to why you associated your headache with blood pressure or diabetes in the first place?

[Savvy_Darling]

Oh yeah I know none of you guys are qualified I was just kind of airing out my fears. I wish I still had my health insurance because it makes it worse when I know I can't just make an apt.. I hope to get it back soon even tho I'm scared of the doctors anyways .
But yeah I get headaches often more so related to my womanly horomones fluctuating but I'll get them occasionally not because of that like if I cry or get upset. This just feels different then a migraine it's more like just tension and soreness on my shoulders and head and of course has stuck around longer than usual even if it isn't constant.
But honestly , I think I've read somewhere about headaches being a symptom (even though I guess I'd have others too..) and I also tend to worry about things other people around me have.. like my boyfriend's mom has diabetes and high blood pressure so I guess it just plants the seed in my anxious brain to worry about getting it too..like it's some kind of contagious thing to me. Last time I got it checked I was extremely nervous (since I really fear the doctors) and it still wasn't high - although my heart rate was because I was so anxious and freaked out about being there. But normally that's a healthy rate too. I also don't worry about the high blood pressure as much as I worry about taking pills since I hate pills and worry about side effects.

[swajj]

Sometimes pills are a good thing. That have certainly dramatically lowered the incidence of stroke due to high blood pressure. My high blood pressure is caused by my anxiety. However, my anxiety is pretty much under control so my doctor thinks I may be able to stop taking blood pressure tablets this year. Good luck getting your insurance in order and try to relax. ��

[Savvy_Darling]

You're definitely right.. it's actually really good knowing you have your anxiety and blood pressure under control meaning it doesn't have to be a life long thing. Thankyou! I'll really wil try to relax