Tension headache? What is it?

[guitarpants]

I hear people complain of them often on here, and that it feels different than a usual headache. Can someone describe it to me? I'd like to know if it's similar to what I'm experiencing.

[Gazman]

welll.... when i went to the doctor i described my headache as shooting and stabbing pains all over my head, tightness across my forehead, but not much and left side of head felt fuzzy near my temple and i had pain going from top left side of head down near my ear and near my jaw and he said it was all tension... it lasted a week and subsided thankfully

[mom1982]

My GP told me tension headaches are like a helmet on your head with constant pain/tension around that area or like a band across your forehead & all around that band area. But i've experienced throbbing pains down my neck & at my temples or back of the head as well & they said it's probably tension. My chiropractor fixed all my tension headaches in about four 10min sessions by adjusting the alignment of my neck. It wasn't painful at all & it's safe. You could try seeing one.

[guitarpants]

Anyone else?

[shaz01]

Well Im not sure if mines is a tension headache, im waiting to see the neurologist however im getting weird heads, tingly feelings down my head, dull aches, occassionaly shooting pains, pressure on the top yep probably on a pressure point, forehead ache, also ringing in my ears, yep and im mega panicking about it :-( x

[NoPoet]

My GP told me tension headaches are like a helmet on your head with constant pain/tension around that area or like a band across your forehead & all around that band area.
That's a superb description, but I find that there are different types of tension headaches, probably because there are loads of different causes.

Throbbing and/or tingling in the temples, a sense of pressure in the head, pain behind and/or around the eyes, a dull ache or burned-out feeling in the head, feeling like the brain has turned to aching or smoking cotton wool, those are all symptoms which I associate with tension headaches.

Tension headaches usually don't respond well to painkillers - at least not in my experience.

Stress, illness, squinting (maybe due to poor eyesight), spending too long on your computer, tiredness, these are all causes.

[guitarpants]

Okay so how about this, does it have to be painful? I've had painful headaches in the past, but this is more like a dull ache/weird feeling in my head that I've never experienced before. Also, mine has lasted two and a half months straight, is that typical?

[mom1982]

Your headaches have lasted everyday for 2.5 mths? See a GP and if they want to do tests, that will put your mind at ease. I had a headache for 3 weeks straight & my chiro fixed the problem. Not sure how long it could/would have lasted if i didn't see my chiro.