Symptoms of the tension headache include a dull, aching head, tenderness of the scalp and neck and a sensation of tightness around the forehead, sides and back of the head. For most people these headaches are of mild to moderate severity. Unlike migraines, tension headaches rarely produce any sort of visual disturbance. Likely caused by changes in brain chemistry, tension headaches can occur when serotonin and endorphin levels fluctuate. Common triggers are stress, fatigue, postural errors and jaw clenching.

When you go see your doctor about your headaches you should come prepared with a chart that indicates how often you get tension headaches, how severe they are, and what kind of medications you have taken to treat them. Your doctor may ask that you keep a headache calendar. Women are much more likely to get headaches then men, and sometimes hormones come into play. He may also ask you to take go through some tests, such an MRI or CT scan. Once certain conditions have been ruled out, you and your doctor will consider some treatment options.

Over the counter medications are often used to treat headaches. The problem lies with people over-treating themselves. Repeated use of over the counter remedies can cause a rebound effect from overuse. A number of common analgesics can be used to treat headaches. Acetaminophen, ibuprofen and naproxen are frequently prescribed but the difficulties of overuse headaches still exist.

Some medications combine analgesics with either caffeine or sedatives. Many preparations with caffeine are available over the counter, but like regular analgesics they can cause overuse headaches. Sedative/analgesic combinations must be prescribed by your physician, and can be addictive. Overuse can cause chronic headaches, and their use must be carefully monitored by your physician.

For those whose tension headaches spill over into migraine territory, triptan based medications can be effective. Preventative medications such as SSRIs and tricyclic antidepressants may help chronic headache sufferers as well. Of course, none of these medications actually relieve the cause of the headaches, they simply mask the symptoms. To effectively treat headaches, it is necessary to figure out the triggers and make lifestyle changes that resolve the problem.

Since tension headaches are usually initiated by stressful circumstance, finding ways to cope with your daily stress may make a dramatic difference. Learning biofeedback techniques, learning to consciously relax neck and shoulder muscles and dealing with anxiety and depression issues are important steps in controlling not only tension headaches, but in calming your life in general.

Muscle relaxation therapies like massage and heat can help reduce the tension that leads to headaches. Cold may work as well; it is definitely a matter of personal preference. Try either one and see which works best.

For headaches that are caused by postural distortions, improved posture is critical. Have someone take a picture of you seated at work, at your computer and standing. For people who hold their head in a forward position, headaches are often the result. Pictures will help cement in your mind what changes are necessary for you to relieve your headaches. This is definitely a case where practice makes perfect. Bad posture took years to achieve, and will likely take some time to overcome. Stick with it and you should see results.

Chronic headaches are a remarkably debilitating condition. Those who don’t suffer severe headaches can never understand how profoundly they can affect every aspect of your life. Seek medical care if your headaches are affecting your quality of life.

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