School projects, meeting deadlines at the office and even household chores can be very stressful. The daily demands at school, at the workplace, and at home can cause headache to even the most patient and determined person. Severe headaches are not only painful and uncomfortable, they can also be downright debilitating. The moment that our daily stress and anxieties mount and overwhelm us, it is not uncommon for us to experience what doctors call a tension headache.

Tension-type headaches often occur or become more severe when one is under a lot of stress, mentally and emotionally. Several controlled studies have found tension headache sufferers to report higher levels of stress, and to have significantly higher levels of depression or anxiety, suppressed anger, and muscle tension than those without headaches. Minimizing stress and getting enough sleep and regular exercise are often recommended to people with tension-type headaches.

Tension headaches are the most common type of primary headache. As many as 90% of adults have had or will have tension headaches. They are more common among women than men. This kind of headache may have several symptoms, such as uncomfortable sensations described as throbbing, aching, or dull pain. Many people have also reported feeling certain heaviness in and around the head. Individuals dealing with this kind of sensation or headache may also experience discomfort that is often worsened by movement or pressure. The pain may be connected to or exacerbated by one's irritability, sleeping problems, and fatigue. A tension type of headache is more common and typically experienced as a dull pain felt in the back of the neck or in a ?headband? distribution. It may be associated with tender nodules in the neck called trigger points, or with tenderness in the muscles around the head. Tension headaches symptoms are caused by muscle contractions in the head, neck, and shoulder area.

The good news is, there are a lot of medications for treating tension headaches. One such medication is Butalbital, a safe and FDA-approved drug. Butalbital is classified as a barbiturate and is one of the most commonly prescribed medicines for migraine and tension-related headaches. As a sedative, the drug contains chemicals that are commonly found in other barbiturate products. Barbiturates act by calming the nervous system and, thus, relieving pain sensations in the process.

While taking Butalbital is an effective means of pain relief, it also has its minor drawbacks. If taken without the doctor's prescription or in excessive amounts, the said drug can be very addictive. There are many cases of people who have developed a dependency on Butalbital's calming effects. Instead of being a medicine for treating pain, the drug is abused and used as a form of psychological and emotional ?escape hatch? by patients who disobeyed doctor's orders or went beyond what was prescribed. Continued misuse Butalbital is often made worse by using the drug together with alcohol, tranquilizers, and other muscle relaxants --- an act that could put a person's life in mortal danger.

However, as it is often said, there is nothing wrong with the drug or medicine per se. It is the person failings, and not necessarily the drug's ingredients, that cause an addiction. If used under the supervision of a medical professional, Butalbital can be an effective drug for relieving pain.

Even if one can buy butalbital without prescription, it is important to always follow doctor's instructions regarding the use of this or any other medicine. Taking care of pain should not lead to an addiction that could cause discomfort, and worse, even death.