How long can tension headache last ?

[Jamescrider]

?

[Indigojoe]

a long time

[Jamescrider in reply to Indigojoe]

Have u had one before ?

[Indigojoe in reply to Jamescrider]

Yes for a week, called the doc, explained why we have tension headaches, and he told me to take 2 tranq's and break the cycle. I did, and it did.

My poor mother became so afraid on a trip out of town that she had a crushing headache for 3 weeks, nothing helped her. Pops got them a ticket home and the moment they touched down, her headache was.....................................gone. JUST like that.

( James, the old fashioned way to break a tension headache was to put an ice pack on the back of your neck and put a hot water bottle on your hands) It's all they had back in the day.

[Agora1]

Hi James, how long have you had this tension headache?

I dealt with them for a long time.

[Jamescrider]

I had it for a month now its not hurting me at all im just tired of the sharp little pains

[Agora1 in reply to Jamescrider]

The thing I found with tension headaches/muscular contraction is another name, is

that they last so long because we fear the pain. When we fear, the muscles get tighter

and tighter, usually producing a trigger point in the base of the skull as well as where

the neck meets the shoulder. When in pain, we tense our shoulders and hold them

tight up to the ears. Muscles need hydration and so if we don't drink enough water

our muscles can't relax or function properly. Over doing pain medication is another

reason the headaches can continue for days on end. These are known as rebound headaches and can be worse than the original one.

Physical therapy can help as well as Occupational therapy. With OT, they teach you

how to break up the spasm/trigger point site. With PT, a trained therapist uses heat,

and acupressure in breaking up the spasms which in turn reduce the pain.

I had tried Acupuncture for 6 months which helped both migraines and tension headaches. Expensive, out of pocket. Hypnotherapy is also beneficial.

At the time I was having them every day only interrupted by a migraine a couple times

a month. I handled both the same way. Cold packs on the back of the head and using

heat packs on the facial muscles. (Whatever works best for you, there is no right or wrong)

Lying down in a quiet, cool, dark room will help while listening to relaxation, meditation and deep breathing. As for medication at that time, I was prescribed a Darvocette 100

plus a Xanax (0.25mg) and a cup of coffee. Worked like a charm every time until they took

Darvo off the market. Then I found that Advil or Motrin with a cup of coffee and a xanax

to counteract the caffeine jitters worked just as well.

So James, that was my life for many years unfortunately. Once I got my stress level under control, the headaches disappeared and have never come back. Now at the first sign of

dizzy headed, headachy feeling, I immediate start to hydrate as well as meditate. No medication needed. Feel better. As with everything else, this too shall pass. x

[Jamescrider in reply to Agora1]

Thank u agora 😊😊

[Agora1 in reply to Jamescrider]

Sorry James for being so long winded. That probably gave you

another headache. I just remember that time of my life as so

discouraging living with daily head pain. I hope you find something

out of what I wrote that may help you. Take care, feel better

[Jamescrider in reply to Agora1]

No ur fine lol i really appreciate it 😊