Is Your Headache Remedy Causing Your Headache?

Tuesday, September 28, 2004

ROCHESTER, Minn. — You have a headache, so you reach for the over-the-counter pain reliever or medication your doctor prescribed. That's supposed to help, right? Yes, but if you find yourself reaching for that remedy more than two or three days a week, you're likely contributing to your headache rather than easing it.

According to Mayo Clinic on Headache (soft cover, $16.95), overuse of headache medication — using more than the label or your doctor prescribes — produces its own kind of headache. These headaches are commonly known as rebound headaches or medication-overuse headaches. Your body becomes accustomed to the effects of a medication that's taken frequently and may cause your headache to return, or rebound, sometimes more intensely than before. Overuse may also lower your pain threshold.

Signs of rebound headaches include:

* Daily headaches, beginning shortly after medication has worn off * Continuous headache throughout the day * Symptoms such as nausea, anxiety, restlessness, irritability, memory problems, difficulty concentrating and depression

Breaking the rebound cycle requires you to reduce or stop taking pain medication — which may be difficult. Mayo Clinic on Headache recommends that you alert your doctor that you have a problem before making any changes.

When you stop taking the medication you may go through a period of more headaches before things get better. Sometimes, if the headaches are severe, hospitalization may be necessary. After you've broken the cycle of medication headaches, you and your doctor can find a safer way to manage your condition.

Mayo Clinic Health Information is offering a free booklet, Headache Tracker: A Tool for Diagnosis and Treatment. To receive a copy of the booklet only, write to Mayo Communications, Headache Offer, OE-6, 200 First Street SW, Rochester, MN 55905. Or, to order Mayo Clinic on Headache ($16.95 plus shipping, handling and applicable sales tax) call 800-291-1128 and mention order code 238. The booklet, Headache Tracker, will be included with your purchase. The free booklet must be requested in writing, not through the toll-free phone line.

Revenue from the sale of Mayo Clinic books is used to help support Mayo Clinic programs, including medical education and research.

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