tension headache severity?

[chellebelle]

I experience headaches which have been checked out and diagnosed as "tension headache". What scares me is that everything I read about tension headaches says that they are a "dull ache". The pain that I experience almost constantly is SEVERE PAIN - it certainly couldn't be described as dull. The pain is so bad I find it a real struggle to think clearly and can't concentrate on anything bar the pain.

Do other poeple who have headaches as a result of anxiety suffer extreme pain, and not just a dull ache? Do they last for long periods? I know that lots of people with tension headache feel like a vice is tightening around their head. The pain in my head is so bad I can't even describe it.

[moore]

pain is very subjective and hard to convey so I know what you're saying.
Head pain severity is not necessarily linked to severity of the cause, so please remember that.

Personally I wouldn't describe my own anxiety/tension headaches as a dull ache, they are most often stabbing pain, and can affect my ability to focus and sometimes I have to go lie down!

Overall it's very hard to guess what is causing a headache but if it's constant and affecting your quality of life then my feeling is you need to keep pushing your doctor on the issue. He's likely to be right if he's diagnosed tension headache, but you need to be able to get your life back, by whatever steps necessary, i.e. medication/pain management/relaxation/etc.