Tension Headache-Some Revealing Facts & Symptoms


by Neil Day - Date: 2007-02-02 - Word Count: 456 Share This!

Many people believe that a tension headache is brought on by stress and can be remedied by relaxing. Wisdom of the past blamed these headaches on stressful events, a bad day at work or emotional distress. The truth is none of these reasons for this type of headache seems to be the actual cause.

Although a tension headache is the most common form or headache reported, the condition has very little to do with an overload of psychological stressors. While it's true these headaches can be brought on by depression, there seems to be other underlying factors that predispose people to these painful attacks if they occur on a regular basis.

Let's look at some facts about tension headache pain and other types of headaches. On average, about 10 million people a year go to the doctor or an emergency room with severe headache pain. Of these cases, the most common form of headache turns out to be the tension type.

An estimated 70 percent of men and nearly 90 percent of women will suffer from at least one, if not a whole lot more, tension headache bouts in a life time. The condition tends to hit people during the ages of 20 to 50 and can range from a single or occasional attack to a chronic condition that will come back again and again.

A tension headache is associated with pain that includes muscle contraction and reduced blood flow. In addition to feeling pain that runs along the head and into the neck and shoulders, a person with one of these headaches might feel other symptoms such as upset stomach, fatigue, or exhaustion. The severity of these other symptoms will range depending on the frequency of attacks and the actual duration of the headaches themselves.

Current medical philosophy surrounding the tension headache states that chronic sufferers might in fact have a central nervous system disorder that leads to the muscle contraction and blood flow restriction. Long-term imbalances of neurotransmitters in the brain might be the real root of the problem. However, it's important to keep in mind that not all tension headache sufferers are chronic headache patients. Some people who are struck with one of these headaches never get another one.

Treatment for a tension headache can range from something as simple as a few aspirin or other drugs. Some sufferers find that time is the best remedy. The actual treatment will vary depending on the frequency and the severity of the headaches when they strike.

Whether it's a tension headache, a migraine or something else, dealing with a headache is no fun. When the head is involved in an attack of pain, life can become derailed for a time. In this fast-paced, busy world, no one wants to deal with that.


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For more information on tension headaches try visiting http://www.theheadacheinfosite.com, a website that specializes in providing advice, tips and resources on headaches that you can use to help combat and relieve pains you may be experiencing from frequent headaches.

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