Have you ever felt like thereís a tight band around your head, tightening  everything in that area? There could be a throbbing pain that would last for several hours. Chances are you are suffering from tension headaches; a type of headache that is commonly experienced by many people.

Tension headaches can sometimes be caused as a result of the tension created by another ailment, inner ear problems or ringing in the ears.

Tension headaches are medically known as tension-type headaches. These headaches occur mostly in women than in men. Some individuals tend to mix up tension headaches with migraine headaches and end up taking the wrong medication.

The basic symptoms of a tension headache would usually include an aching pain in the head, feelings of tenderness in areas such as the scalp, neck and the shoulder muscles. Additionally, there can be instances where one will feel like there is tightness across the forehead or on the sides and back of the head. Some may even have a loss of appetite as a result of having tension headaches. 

Tension headaches can be categorized as chronic and episodic, depending on the number of times an individual suffers from the headache. A tension headache can last from around 30 minutes to a whole week. If the headache is experienced for 15 days or more in a month and lasts the same way for three months, it is called chronic. If it is less than 15 days per month, the headache is considered an episodic tension headache. The more episodic headaches you get the higher likelihood you will have of ending up with a chronic tension headache.  

Determining the causes of tension headaches is quite difficult for doctors. But it is believed that an individualís stress and tension level play a bigger role in the occurrence of a headache.

In addition to having a stressed out life, a personís high intake of caffeine or alcohol, feeling anxious or depressed can all increase the severity of the headache you have.

Even though tension headaches are common, it should not be underestimated. Having a tension headache can cause a lower productivity level, and the quality of life decreasing with time.

There are some people who do not take any type of treatment for their tension headaches and end up in worse situations. Treatment for tension headaches usually includes medical prescriptions for pain killers such as Analgesics and a combination of other medications. Getting a proper diagnosis done is more important than consuming any medicine.