Preview Many people know the "tight-hatband" feeling that can occur at the end of an anxiety-filled day. An over-the-counter analgesic and a good night's sleep usually take care of it. But sometimes, headaches recur often or last days, and stronger measures are required. Dr Trachtenbarg summarizes the criteria for diagnosing tension headaches and outlines a stepwise approach to use of analgesic and prophylactic medications that minimizes the potential for dependence.