Tension Headaches ?

[RJP]

Hi, can anyone tell me if these symptons I am having are common in tension headaches ?

I keep getting this feeling that I have an elastic band or something round the top of my head and inside my head it feels sometimes like I have bugs in there crawling or something and its not so much pain all the time but just pressure, my neck is sore and I keep getting shooting pains in my head.

Starting to freak that it might be a tumour, any ideas ?

[daisy232627]

It sounds like a combination of a tension headache and anxiety to me. When I get super stressed with the anxiety mix I have gotten shooting pains in my head and my neck would get stiff......once I accepted what it was the shooting pains went away and I started getting less headaches.

[GingGangGoolie]

The chances of a headache being the symptom of a tumour is so rare I'd try to tell yourself not to worry :) I often get tension headaches and they can last for days on end. Have you been feeling quite tense/anxious? Are you able to try and relax more, especially you muscles? Do painkillers help?

*Laura(GGG)*

[RJP]

Hi, thanks everyone for your replies, it has helped me to stop a little bit of the worrying. Yeah I have defo been stressed out more at the moment, and painkillers to take the pain away, so hopefully it is just stress. x

[Gaza]

http://medicalimages.allrefer.com/large/tension-type-headache.jpg

Tension headaches are horrible and one of the worst ailments of anxiety. With the pain being in the head we all begin to imagine we have a tumour. Nothing serious, annoying and painful but totally harmless:

http://www.webmd.com/migraines-headaches/tc/tension-headaches-symptoms (http://www.webmd.com/migraines-headaches/tc/tension-headaches-symptoms)

http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/diseases/facts/headache.htm (http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/diseases/facts/headache.htm)

There are many different kinds of headaches such as migraines, cluster headaches, sinus headaches or tension headaches. Studies show that the most common headache that about 90 percent of people suffer is tension headache
Here are some ideas that you can use to relieve a tension headache.

Step by Step Instructions

Step 1
Find out the cause of your headache. If you can discover the cause, it's generally easy to make adjustments to avoid a future attack.

Step 2
Keep a journal of your headache occurrences and what you were consuming or what you were doing before the onset of your headache. This record will help you trace a pattern of what triggers your headache.

Step 3
Take over-the-counter medicine to help relieve your headache.

Step 4
Take a hot shower or bath. It can help relax the muscles in your body. Sometimes stress and tension in your body can trigger headaches.

Step 5
Eat well. Avoid skipping meals as a lack of proper food intake can cause headaches. Drink lots of water, a lack of fluid can also trigger headaches.

Step 6
Exercise; you can never go wrong with exercise. It adds to the overall well being of the body. Exercising regularly helps your body fight stress, which is one of the main triggers for headaches.

Step 7
Relax and take things easy. Don't worry about things you can't control.

Step 8
Retire to bed early and rise early. Getting sufficient sleep can prevent headaches.

Step 9
Massage your scalp, temple, neck and shoulders. Enlist the assistance of someone else to help massage you. It will really help make you feel better.

Step 10
Apply a cold or heat pad to soothe your neck and shoulders.

Step 11
Take frequent breaks, especially if you use the computer a lot.

Step 12
Change your pillow or sleeping position. Sometimes, these can strain the muscles on your neck and cause a headache as well.

Good Luck and Look After Yourself

[loulabella]

Your symptoms are exactly as mine and I am being treated for tension headaches. Get to a doc if you can as they can last a LONG time, I'm 3 months in - but there is hope out there.. x x x

[NoPoet]

Daisy said exactly what I was going to say. The feeling of your brain being squeezed by pressure or an elastic band is usually a dead giveaway of a tension headache, also known as a stress headache.

the electric ants crawling through your brain are something that used to terrify me until I experienced it so many times it stopped bothering me. It's something to do with anxiety, maybe the physical reaction to an anxiety attack.

[shaz01]

Hi, I just wanted to say I have had the headaches with the whole creepy crawly thing every day now for the last two months, Im the same I have been stressing about them but as we know that isnt going to help us :-) hope your feeling better soon x x