You've been getting headaches. Finally, you find some medications that are making a difference. You're headaches are almost all gone ? but wait ? they're coming back! They're getting worse! The painkillers aren't doing the job they used to do. What's going on?
You may be a victim of "rebound headache". Rebound headache is a common problem. It happens when you start trying to fight off headaches, and they start fighting back. What's often happening in rebound headache is that the very drugs that used to solve the problem are actually making things worse. If you start taking the drugs on a regular basis, your body actually gets used to the medication and starts to crave it when it's not there. Then the headaches get worse, so you take more drugs. The cycle goes on.
If you're suffering from a mild headache almost every day, you may have rebound headache. If you're taking pain relievers every 2-3 days, that's a sign that you're caught in the cycle. You may find that 3-4 hours after taking the drugs the headache gets even worse, or you may start waking up with headache.
How can you avoid getting caught in this trap?
The Mayo Clinic reports that the pills most likely to cause rebound headache are drugs with a combination of ingredients, such as drugs that include combinations of caffeine, aspirin and acetaminophen, and migraine drugs like ergotamines and triptans (eg Imitrex). If you're taking a lot of painkillers, see your doctor and try to treat the problem. There may be newer and better treatments available.
Also, be sure you have at least two days that are drug-free between every day when you're taking painkillers. Some doctors suggest that you take no more than 10 doses a month. If you're taking much more than that, see a good doctor and look for other solutions.
But what if you're already dealing with rebound headache?
Though it may be hard to believe, you may actually be better off with no drugs at all. Many doctors suggest going cold turkey. You may need medical help to be able to get out of the cycle. The sooner you can get that help the better.
You can try cutting down over a couple of months. Be sure to keep track of exactly what you're taking. First, go a day without drugs, then two days between every day with drugs. You'll likely notice an increase in headaches at first, but keep at it! Things will get much better.
If things aren't better after a few weeks, or you're having trouble cutting down, see a doctor right away. Make sure there isn't another damaging problem causing the headaches. It's not worth the suffering ? there is lots of help available if you ask for it!
Rebound headache can be painful and debilitating. Don't let it control your life. This article is for your information, but should never replace a trip to the doctor. If you have any kind of new headache, or if things are getting worse, you could experience permanent problems if you don't seek help.
Things can get better! Many people before you have gotten out of the cycle and have seen their headaches diminish and even vanish. All the best in your fight to be headache free!
James Cottrill is a headache sufferer and health writer at http://www.Relieve-Migraine-Headache.com. He lives with his wife and two children in the shadow of the Canadian Rocky Mountains. For more on rebound headache, visit http://www.Relieve-Migraine-Headache.com/reb ound
Irritable bowel syndrome is a debilitating and distressing condition, which... Read More
There has never been a better opportunity for chiropractic medicine?and... Read More
Technology. We live in a grand time of technological development.... Read More
Electronic Medical RecordAn Electronic Medical Record is a secured electronic... Read More
The physicians conundrum: Everywhere, physicians are contemplating or engaged in... Read More
"If you're one the nine out of ten adults in... Read More
If you take a simple stroll down the foot product... Read More
When an unconscious patient arrives in the ED, every hospital... Read More
Lunesta is a newly released sleeping pill. Marketed as a... Read More
Serzone is a prescription medication that is given to patients... Read More
The medical term for toenail fungus is "onychomycosis," pronounced on... Read More
Perhaps one of the most insidious dangers in modern technology... Read More
Marketing Authorisation: Medicinal Products The case of R (on the... Read More
The central location of the city of Chicago has made... Read More
With more medical advantages, an adjustable bed finds more functions... Read More
For the head of the trauma department at one of... Read More
The most common cause of heel pain is plantar fasciitis... Read More
If you ever go to cold countries, you should undoubtedly... Read More
You might disagree, but hear me out on this...The drug... Read More
Phenylpropanolamine, or PPH, used to be an active ingredient in... Read More
Acid reflux (also known as GERD or heartburn) is a... Read More
Propulsid was a popular nighttime heartburn drug before it was... Read More
We've all had one of those weeks: the washing machine... Read More
Even in clinical trials, Lotronex displayed a tendency towards causing... Read More
Chrisopher Reeve has died. But his vision of a "Cure"... Read More
No person likes to feel housebound and dependent on others.... Read More
Chinese Medicine, over 2000 years old, is an ancient form... Read More
All medications, which include prescriptions, over-the-counter preparations, vitamin and mineral... Read More
Using ice to treat injuries is one of the oldest... Read More
Prescription drugs can save your life. But interactions between prescription... Read More
Healthcare professionals are under pressure to remember, utilize and absorb... Read More
What is nail fungus?Nail fungus, also known as Onychomycosis, is... Read More
Following the recall of Fen-Phen and Redux in 1999 (two... Read More
Xanax is a Prescription Drug which is habit forming. You... Read More
A thick, yellowish nail with splotchy white areas is a... Read More
Medical Billing SoftwareThe practice is running smoothly, with patients coming... Read More
Online Pharmacy owners who haven't been working within moral and... Read More
While the recent Lamisil commercial featuring Digger, a disgusting cartoon... Read More
Q. Why is there so may uninsured people in America?A.... Read More
Alcohol rehab in California refers to the centers that help... Read More
Save Up to 93% by Asking for a Generic -... Read More
As computers, Internet and technology have become increasingly more available... Read More
I think this is a good time for a checkup,... Read More
When Dorothy followed the yellow brick road, she was told... Read More
The recent withdrawal of Vioxx and Bextra from the marketplace,... Read More
The FDA issued a warning in July of 2005 on... Read More
Endocervical polypsEndocervical polyps are the most common benign neoplasms of... Read More
A neuroma is an inflamed nerve. In the foot, the... Read More
Zicam is a homeopathic intranasal zinc remedy that is intended... Read More
It is the reality of the 21st century medical practice... Read More
Molluscum contagiosum treatment is certainly possible with the correct treatment... Read More
Thirty percent of human population has a high blood pressure... Read More
An estimated 85 million Americans have acquired the herpes simplex... Read More
Last year I told an acquaintance that at the age... Read More
Zyprexa is a prescription drug that treats schizophrenia, acute mania... Read More
At the urging of the Food and Drug Administration, the... Read More
If you are missing a tooth or a group of... Read More
When you ask what arthritis is, professinals will tell you... Read More
The treatment of high blood pressure is one of the... Read More
Even in clinical trials, Lotronex displayed a tendency towards causing... Read More
Heartburn is a by-product of digestion, specifically affecting the esophagus... Read More
Sjogren's syndrome is an autoimmune disorder ? a disorder in... Read More
Finding the right treatment for any person suffering with a... Read More
This is very sensitive area of your body. Too private.... Read More
America's war on drugs, which has been fought in the... Read More
High blood pressure is on the rise worldwide. But, doctors... Read More
Medicine |