Painkillers and Drugs for Headache

Introduction:

Migraine headache is one of the disorders, which require a complete diagnosis of the problem, and various therapies including painkillers and drugs to treat the disorder. Migraine headache may cause various problems to people suffering from it; some of the problem has been summarized below.

Patients suffering from migraine headache may find it difficult to follow the routine activity.
Migraine headaches may cause sleep disorders and if you are suffering from cluster headaches (headache in cycles), your cluster headache might have been developed from sleep disorder.
If you are suffering from migraine headache, you may not be able to concentrate on your routine job.
Migraine headache may vary in frequency and duration. Depending upon severity of the disorder the symptoms like nausea and vomiting are associated with migraine and headache.

Treatment Aim:

If migraine headache has substantial impact on the patient, long-term migraine treatment including non-pharmacological technique should be adopted. The aim should have been targeted to

Reduce the frequency and duration of migraine headache.
Reduce the severity of migraine headache.
Reduce the symptoms associated with migraine headache such as nausea and vomiting.
Reduce the overall medication.
Reduce the migraine headache related tension and psychological symptoms.
Manage the migraine headache not only from painkillers and drug therapies, but to improve migraine headache by personal control on symptoms also.
Improve overall quality of life of patients.

Medications for treating headache:

Two types of medicines are used for treating migraine headache. One is prophylactic medication, in which medicines are taken everyday to reduce the severity and frequency and the other is abortive, in which medicine is given only if headache begins.

Over the painkillers should be avoided. Although these medicines may ease symptoms but continuous use of these medicines may create rebound once these drugs are stopped.
Prescribed medicines, after proper diagnosis of the medicine, may be focused for reducing inflammation and stimulating receptors for serotonin hormone in brain.

Some of the abortive type of medicines used for treating headaches is mentioned below.

TRIPTANS:

These are the specific medicines for migraine and also termed as miracle drugs, used to affect serotonin receptors and blocking inflammation. These can be taken orally or some brands are administered through a nasal spray.

The side effects of these medicines are rare. If you have any other heart related problem, you should inform your doctor, before taking these medicines.

ERGOT ALKALOIDS AND DERIVATIVES:

Before the discovery of triptans, these were commonly used and were very effective medicines for decreasing serotonin activity and narrowing down the blood vessels.

It should not be taken too often, as it may cause serious side effects. This painkiller medicine should be taken on prescription of doctor only.

ANTIEMETICS:

These medicines should be taken for treatment of acute attacks of migraine. These should be taken under supervision of the doctor and have mild to moderate side effects.

NONSTEROIDAL ANTI-INFLAMMATORY DRUGS (NSAIDs):

These medications should be used with caution as these medicines may cause rebound headache. Once you become habitual of these medicines, stopping these medicines cause reappearance of migraine headache. Further these medicines should not be used for longer; some of the medicines may cause stomach problems.

BARBITURATES:

These are the narcotics medicine, and acts on the nervous system. These medicines also act, as sedative and long-term use of these medicines should be avoided.

STEROIDS:

Steroids are the last option, when all the medicines fail. These are prescribed if the patients have serious migraine.

Bookmark This Page:

Send Page to a Friend

VISITOR COMMENTS on "Painkillers and Drugs for Headache":

	More Articles
1. Frequent Headaches can be Rebound Headaches Are Frequent Headaches be Rebound Headaches? If a person experience headaches, with a frequency more than three per week, and repeatedly takes over the counter medication [...]
2. Commonly Asked Questions about Headaches Commonly Asked Questions about Headaches Headaches can be so frustrating, and they can really get in the way of the normal activities that [...]
3. Spinal Headaches: Word of Caution for all Women Spinal Headaches: A Word of Caution for all Women It is a boon to gene a new life. The hospitals equipped with all the accessories to [...]
4. Cluster Headaches: a Plague among Men Cluster Headaches: A Plague Among Men The insidious condition called a cluster headache is in reality a form of migraine headache with one very obvious difference; cluster headaches [...]