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Lots of people get a tension headache from time to time. These headaches usually happen when you're feeling stressed, tired or angry. Many people just think of them as an ordinary headache. But if you have chronic tension headache it means you get these headaches a lot.

Chronic is a word doctors use to describe a condition that someone has for a long time. If you have tension headaches on more than about 15 days a month for at least three months, your doctor might say you have chronic tension headache.¹

Tension headaches are usually fairly mild. But if you get them a lot, they can be upsetting. They may interfere with your social life or work.²

Tension headaches aren't always the same.

• Some people say a tension headache feels like a band pressing on both sides of their head. But not everyone gets this.
• The headache can last for as little as 30 minutes or for several hours. For some people, the headache never goes away completely.
• The headache doesn't get worse if you move around. For example, doing something such as climbing stairs shouldn't make you feel any worse.
• Your face or your scalp may be tender to touch.

It can be hard to tell if you have tension headache or a migraine, which is another common type of headache. But there are some differences between them. Here are some tips to help you.¹

• Tension headaches can make you lose your appetite. But if your headache makes you feel sick to your stomach or vomit, you're more likely to have a migraine.
• Some people with tension headaches are slightly sensitive to light or loud noises. But if you can't bear bright lights, loud noises, or both, you probably have a migraine.
• Tension headaches shouldn't make you dizzy, tired or irritable. They shouldn't affect your concentration or your sleep. And they never throb. All these things could mean you have a migraine.
• Tension headaches happen on both sides of your head. But migraines usually happen on one side.

To read more, see our information on Migraines and Migraines in children.

There aren't any tests that can tell whether your headaches are tension headaches. But your doctor will ask you lots of questions. They may also ask you to keep a diary of your headaches for a few weeks. A diary can help your doctor decide whether you have chronic tension headache or another kind of headache, such as migraine. This is important because the treatments are different.

This information is for educational use only, and is not a substitute for prompt professional medical advice. Readers should always consult a physician or other professional for advice and treatment. ©BMJ Publishing Group Limited 2008. All rights reserved.