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The Treatment of Headaches

December 25th, 2009 Rose Williams No comments

When we are suffering from a headache it is natural to think of ways to stop the pain. However, as there are different types of headaches, sometimes the treatments may work for only a few headache types. There are two different ways of stopping the pain caused by headaches. These types of headache treatment are called prophylactical and abortive headache treatment.

The prophylactic type of headache treatment must be ingested everyday in order to reduce the frequency of and to control the pain of the headache. The abortive type of headache treatment is started only when the headache starts.

However, you should realize that your physician will not prescribe any prophylactic headache treatment unless you are having several, frequent headache attacks a month. Furthermore, when you take the prophylactic medication you will be monitored for side effects like weight gain, water retention, lethargy, memory impairment and hallucinations.

The treatment of headaches with prophylactic medication begins with a low dose. The dose is then increased regularly. You will also be checked every month or so to find out if the treatment is taking effect. Your doctor will also make sure that you are not on any other types of medication or vitamin supplements during this early phase of your headache treatment.

It is very important for the doctor to know whether the sufferer is or becomes pregnant. If you do become pregnant, then your doctor should be told, so that checks can be carried out to discover any possible side effects to the unborn foetus.

The major prescription drugs that are given for headache treatment are beta blockers like Tenormin and Lopressor. Calcium channel blockers such as Cardizem, Dilacor, and Procardia are also used. Doctors may also prescribe anti-depressants such as Elavil and Zoloft. You can also be prescribed Serotonin Antagonists like Sansert.

Furthermore, anti-convulsants such as Tegretol, Depakote, and Dilantin are also given for headache treatment. Cafergot and Sansert, which are ergot derivatives, could also be given by your doctor. The abortive headache treatment available for your headache pain is generally the ‘over the counter’ (OTC) type. These include Paracetamol, Aspirin, Tylenol, Panadol, Motrin, and Advil to name but a few. Tylenol and Panadol are known as Acetaminophen drugs. Motrin and Advil are in the group of drugs that are known as Ibuprofen.

Besides these headache medications there are non-steroidal anti inflammatory drugs or NSAID’s. The side effects of NSAIDs like Naprosyn and Meclomen include nausea, gastrointestinal pain, dizziness, diarrhea, light-headedness and constipation. These headache medications can also cause the side-effect of a different form of headache in some people.

Since these drugs can cause other problems, you should consult your doctor in order to find out if they are suitable for you or not. People who prefer an ‘alternative’ headache treatment should ask their doctor whether he thinks the alternative medicine, such as aromatherapy, will work.

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Headache Types

December 20th, 2009 Rose Williams No comments

There are a large number of commonly-known sort of headache, which include, but are not limited to: sinus headaches, migraine headaches, tension headaches, chronic headaches, blood pressure headaches, chronic cluster headaches and tension headaches.

A migraine headache is a very severe, debilitating headache. This type of headache has a deep impact upon the daily lives of its sufferers. The pain can be a pulsating sensation or sometimes a throbbing sort of head pain. This throbbing pain can vary from moderate to severe. The symptoms of migraine headaches include nausea with high audio-visual sensitivity. The migraine type of headache often comes with a precursory warning sensation called an aura.

This aura is experienced in the form of changes in visual perception. You may see bright flashes or blurs and sometimes you may even lose part of your vision. You may even experience a numbness or a tingling in your arms. These warning symptoms will dissipate a while before the migraine attack begins. A migraine headache can last for about three days without any treatment, before it recedes.

The kinds of tension headache cause a dull but constant pain around the forehead or the sides or back of the head. Some people liken a tension headache to a tight band around the head. This is considered to be one of the most common types of headache. In a tension headache you will not find such symptoms as light sensitivity, nausea or vomiting.

Tension headaches occur in episodic or chronic sorts. Generally, most sufferers of this type of tension headache, experience chronic headaches. It is estimated that about 40% of the population suffers from tension headaches. Chronic daily headaches are another of these types of headache.

Most chronic daily headaches are tension headaches or headaches that are caused by taking too many pain killers. With these sorts of headache, the pain is of a constant, dull nature – there may also be a feeling of tightness like a rubber band around the head. A chronic daily headache is diagnosed by its duration: the pain must last for a minimum of 15 consecutive days per month during a three month period of time.

Another kind of headache is the Cluster headaches. This is a rare but very painful type of headache. The name of the headache arises from the fact that the headache pain occurs in clusters. Frequently, periods of Cluster headaches may last weeks or months. This time period is followed by long periods of no headaches.

Cluster headaches are usually to be found only on one side of the head at a time. The sharp, penetrating pain starts behind one eye. Furthermore, cluster headaches may cause red, watery eyes, a stuffy nose and sometimes symptoms like nausea and light sensitivity are be present too.

These are just some of the many sorts of headaches that can occur. The pain from the headache can be mild or it can be excruciating in its severity. To obtain relief from these headaches you must talk with your doctor about treatment or you can buy some over the counter headache pain medication.

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