Headaches may be relieved by resting with the eyes closed and head supported or by relaxation techniques such as meditation. A massage or heat applied to the back of the upper neck can be effective in relieving tension headaches.
Over-the-counter pain medications are often effective headache relievers. For tension headaches, acetaminophen (Tylenol), aspirin, or ibuprofen (Advil or Motrin) are often effective. Your health care provider may prescribe a nonsedating muscle relaxant.
Migraine headaches may respond to aspirin, naproxen (Aleve), or combination medications such as Excedrin Migraine.
Avoid giving aspirin or other salicylates to children because of the risk of Reye's syndrome.
Prescription medications used for migraine headaches include mixtures of ergotamine and caffeine (Cafergot), Midrin, sumatriptan, and others. Sometimes medications to relieve nausea and vomiting are helpful for migraine management.
Some medications may be given to prevent headaches before they occur. Examples of these include nortriptyline, atenolol, and verapamil.
If you are using pain medications more than 2 days a week, you may be suffering from rebound headaches. Rebound headaches are caused by a cycle of using pain medications for short-term relief, followed by the headache pain returning for increasingly longer periods of time despite taking more pain medications.
All types of pain pills (including over-the-counter drugs), muscle relaxants, some decongestants, and caffeine can cause this pattern. If you think this may be a problem for you, talk to your health care provider.
To treat rebound headaches, stop taking all pain medications and other possible triggers for several weeks. Ask your health care provider about possible treatments to use during the withdrawal period.
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