whats the difference between a regular headache and a tension headache. I mean, is tension headache just a term for a person who is naturally irritable?
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A tension headache is a condition involving pain or discomfort in the head, scalp, or neck, usually associated with muscle tightness in these areas. Tension headaches result from the contraction of neck and scalp muscles. One cause of this muscle contraction is a response to stress, depression or anxiety. Any activity that causes the head to be held in one position for a long time without moving can cause a headache. Such activities include typing or use of computers, fine work with the hands, and use of a microscope. Sleeping in a cold room or sleeping with the neck in an abnormal position may also trigger this type of headache. Other causes include eye strain, fatigue, alcohol use, excessive smoking, excessive caffeine use, sinus infection, nasal congestion, overexertion, colds, and influenza. Tension headaches are not associated with structural lesions in the brain.
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That depends on a lot of things, like your natural resistance, how bright your screen is, how fast objects on the screen are moving, quality/sharpness of the images, your stress level while playing...\n\nThe games I play are largely stationary/ intellectual/ detailed/ interactive and I've played for days on end with nearly no sleep without getting a headache.  It is normally the case that I don't get a headache no matter what, but there have been times where I got a headache in an hour or so for whatever reason...
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When many people think "Migraine" they think only of the pain of Migraine. In reality, a Migraine episode consists of far more. The typical Migraine episode actually consists of four parts, referred to as phases or components. It's important to note that not every Migraineur experiences all four phases. Also, episodes can vary with different phases experienced during different episodes. The four phases of a Migraine episode are: \n\nProdrome \nAura \nHeadache \nPostdrome \nThe Prodrome\nThe prodrome (sometimes called preheadache) may be experienced hours or even days before a Migraine episode. The prodrome may be considered to be the Migraineur's "yellow light," a warning that a Migraine is imminent. For the 30 to 40% of Migraineurs that experience prodrome, it can actually be very helpful because, in some cases, it gives opportunity to abort the episode. For Migraineurs who experience prodrome, it makes a solid case for keeping a Migraine diary and being aware of one's body. Symptoms typical of the prodrome are: \n\nfood cravings \nconstipation or diarrhea \nmood changes - depression, irritability, etc. \nmuscle stiffness, especially in the neck \nfatigue \nincreased frequency of urination
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It depends on what's going on.  If it's something about YOU that you're just really irritable, there's a lot of things that could be.  You might consider seeing a counselor.  (Or getting more sleep, easing off of stress, or any number of other things).  I think it's worth noting though that some personalitiies just don't mix.  I know a lot of really SUPER nice people who have a LOT of energy.  I find them a bit...grating.  I'm pleasant with them, but I don't really hang out with them much, and it's not because they're bad people, but because I just don't enjoy their company through no fault of their own.
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get it checked NOW!! i have these same symptoms, and i have been diagnosed with a psuedo tumor. it goes like sideways/diagonal from the back of my neck, then straight over across to my left side. it always hurts, and doesn't seem to get better. it's just somehting i have to deal with the pain until it goes away. \nfor added help, i've given other causes & symptoms to headaches. i hopeyou can relate to something here & get this taken care of!\n\nThe most common types of headaches usually are not serious but may occur again and again.\n\n--Tension headaches -- the most common type of headache and are episodes of constant aching, tightness, pressure, and pain around the forehead, temples, or back of the head and neck. Symptoms usually occur on both sides of the head rather than just one side. \nTension headaches usually do not stop a person from doing his or her regular activities. These headaches usually do not cause nausea, vomiting, or sensitivity to light or noise. A tension headache can last anywhere from 30 minutes to several days. Some people experience chronic tension headaches, which means they get a headache on 15 or more days a month.\nTension headaches are related to muscles tightening in the back of the neck or head because of stress, anxiety, fatigue, hunger, anger, poor posture, or overexertion.\nTreatment for tension headaches usually includes aspirin, ibuprofen, or other nonprescription pain relievers. Aspirin should not be given to anyone age 20 years or younger because it has been linked to Reye's syndrome, a rare but serious disease that most often affects children. Prescription medications, such as antidepressants, may be needed to treat tension headaches. Additional therapies, including stress management or biofeedback, may reduce or prevent tension headaches\n \n--Cluster headaches -- these are recurring headaches that occur in groups or cycles. The headaches appear suddenly and cause severe, debilitating pain on one side of the head, along with a watery eye and nasal congestion on the affected side of the head. The cause of cluster headaches is unknown. Although there is no cure for cluster headaches, medications can reduce the frequency and duration of the painful headaches.\n--Migraine headaches -- Approximately one-third of people who have migraine headaches first began having them as teenagers. are painful, sometimes disabling headaches that are often accompanied by nausea, vomiting, and sensitivity to light, noise, and smell. These throbbing headaches usually occur on only one side of the head, although the pain can shift from one side of the head to the other, or can occur on both sides at the same time. Migraines involve changes in chemicals and blood vessels in the brain, which trigger pain signals leading to headache and other symptoms.\nMigraine headaches tend to recur. A migraine headache typically lasts 4 to 24 hours but in some cases can last up to 3 days. Some people have symptoms, such as visual disturbances, that occur before a headache starts. These symptoms are called a migraine aura.\nSome people have several headaches per month; others have headaches much less often. Treatment usually includes medications to prevent a migraine from occurring or to stop a migraine once it begins. In some people, migraines may be triggered by certain foods or smells. Eliminating exposure to these triggers may stop the headaches.\n\nHere's a list of common causes of headaches include:\n\n--Alcohol, caffeine, or other drug use or withdrawal. \n--Changes in the levels of chemicals in the body (neurotransmitters). \n--Coughing or sneezing. \n--Dehydration. \n--Dental problems or procedures, such as pain from grinding the teeth or from a root canal. \n--Eating or drinking cold foods and fluids. \n--Emotional stress. \n--Exposure to smoke or fumes from chemicals, including carbon monoxide. \n--Eyestrain. \n--Fever. \n--High altitude. Lower oxygen levels at high altitudes can cause headaches.
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Headache is a symptom of quite a few medical problems, you really should get it checked out by a doc. as without examining you in person you cannot get an accurate answer.
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I don't know where you can get free help, but maybe this will help. My husband was getting bad headaches for a while. First the doc told him that it was tension headaches and gave him meds. They didn't work then the doc gave him a Rx for migraine headaches. That did not work either. Well my husband went to a chiropractor with his dad and told the doctor about his headaches. The doctor scheduled an appointment and after the first visit the headaches were gone. A chiropractor might help you as well.
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being 17 and having headaches may be unusual.\nIf you have a family history of headaches then that might be a cause of your headaches.\nEven if you have a family history of headaches you should be checked by a neurologist who specializes in headaches.\nIf you began using birth control pills prior to your headaches they might be a cause of your headache.\nMigraines, Sinusitis or tension headaches could also be causing your problems
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See a neurologist.\n\nThey can prescribe meds to PREVENT headaches, and to stop them once they start.\n\nYou have to find out what is causing your headaches. Migraine? Tension? Cluster headaches? Sinuses?\n\nRight now, take either a hot rag, or one you have chilled in the freezer, and put it over the part of your head that hurts.\n\nTry to relax. Quiet. Dark...
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I agree, if there is pain when you press your eyebrows, it's probably blocked sinues.  There are acupressure points all over the head (as well as the body) and finding a tender spot on your head could indicate an imbalance elsewhere in your body.  A good acupressure headache point is to rub the meaty part of the webbing between your thumb and forefinger on each hand for about a minute each, rubbing towards your wrist.  I have reduced my headaches using this technique.  It is also effective for toothache, sinues, and colds. The point is called Large Intestine (LI) 4, and you can look it up in Google if you want more detailed info.  Alternatively rub the spot above the midpoint between your eyebrows, this has a similar effect. Hope this helps.  Acupressure helps your body rebalance itself and would probably help your anxiety.
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You feel a headache coming on, so you reach for a pain reliever. Or maybe you take pain medication in advance — even every day — to stave off frequent headaches. After all, that's what pain relievers are for, right?\n\nThink again.\n\nPain relievers offer quick relief for occasional headaches. But there's a limit. If you find yourself taking pain medication more than two or three days a week, you may actually be contributing to your headaches rather than easing them. It's a cycle known as rebound headaches.\n\nThe cycle starts when you take too much headache medication — more than the label instructs or your doctor prescribes. Soon, your body adapts to the medication. You may not even realize that you've been dosing yourself too often until you miss a day and your head starts to hurt again — sometimes more intensely than before.\n\nThe only way to stop rebound headaches is to reduce or stop taking the pain medication that's causing them. It's tough, but your doctor can help.\n\n\nNEXT: Signs and symptoms  ARTICLE TOOLS \n Print this section | All sections \n Larger type \n \n\n    more information     Rebound headaches — also called medication overuse headaches — tend to occur every day, sometimes waking you in the early morning and continuing throughout the day. The pain may be most severe at first, when the medication begins to wear off.\n\nSometimes, a rebound headache causes dull, achy pain. In other cases, the pain may be throbbing or pounding.\n\nYou may notice other signs and symptoms as well, including:\n\nNausea \nAnxiety \nRestlessness, irritability and difficulty concentrating \nMemory problems \nDepression Nearly any pain reliever can contribute to rebound headaches. But some medications are more likely to lead to rebound headaches than are others.\n\nSimple pain relievers. Common medications such as aspirin, acetaminophen (Tylenol, others) and ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, others) may contribute to rebound headaches — especially if you exceed the recommended daily dosages. \nCombination pain relievers. Over-the-counter pain relievers that contain a combination of caffeine, aspirin and acetaminophen (Excedrin, others) are common culprits. This group also includes prescription medications such as Fioricet, Fiorinal and Esgic, which also contain the sedative butalbital. \nMigraine medications. Various migraine medications have been linked with rebound headaches, including ergotamine (Ergomar, others) and triptans (Imitrex, Zomig, others). Interestingly, the ergot dihydroergotamine appears to have a lower potential for leading to this problem. \nOpiates. Painkillers derived from opium or from synthetic opium compounds include combinations of codeine and acetaminophen (Tylenol with Codeine No. 3 and No. 4, others). These can lead to rebound headaches as well. \nDaily doses of caffeine — from your morning coffee, your afternoon soda, or any pain reliever or other product containing this mild stimulant — may fuel rebound headaches as well. Read product labels to make sure you're not wiring your system with more caffeine than you realize.\n\nTrouble sleeping Anyone who has a history of migraine headaches, tension-type headaches or other chronic headaches is at risk of developing rebound headaches from the overuse of pain relievers.\n\nRebound headaches aren't typically an issue for people who use pain medications on a daily basis to treat conditions such as arthritis\nTreatment\nTo break the cycle of rebound headaches, you'll need to restrict how much pain medication you use. Depending on what drug you've been taking, your doctor may recommend stopping the medication right away or gradually reducing the dose until you're taking the drug no more than twice a week.\n\nStopping pain medication isn't easy. Expect your headaches to get worse before they get better. You also may experience withdrawal symptoms such as nervousness, restlessness, nausea, vomiting, insom
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Go to the doctor!!! the headache is serious.\n\nInfo on headaches:\nhttp://www.wrongdiagnosis.com/sym/headache.htm
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No. But the things that make you prone to headaches are hereditary.\n\nTerry
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A type of migraine.  These can be horrible, I have them a lot.  They can be caused by many things, foods, stress, chiropractic spinal issues, etc...talk with your doctor about the best thing to do for them.
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Working in a hospital, i had a patient with a small spinal fluid leak, nothing too serious, but it was causing him terrible migraines.  So his doc admitted him to the hospital and we pumped his veins full of straight caffeine.  Headache went right away!  Im sure if your doc wrote u a prescription for some sort of caffeine pill, it would be for a headache, migraine, something along those lines.
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You might want to see a doctor to get checked out.  Headaches can be signs of serious conditions.\nPerhaps 90 percent of all headaches are “tension headaches” that result from poor posture and daily stress.  These can usually be alleviated with massage and postural realignment.\nTwo herbs which usually help are Chamomile (which relaxes muscles and soothes tension) and Ginkgo biloba (which tends to improve blood flow and circulation to the brain).  Slippery elm is a natural painkiller.  All can be taken as teas.\nThe most important thing is learning to identify the triggers of the headaches.  Avoiding these triggers is the single best way to prevent headaches.
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Take some tylenol or something, you should avoid caffeine.  Find a comfortable spot for quiet, take a couple minutes to do some deep breathing. I find this really helps with tension.