Rebound Headaches: When Getting Better Makes You Worse

Rebound headaches are caused by the very thingsperiod of time.* You notice a spontaneous
that relieve headaches -- pain medication. So basicallyimprovement of headache pain when you discontinue
it becomes a choice of suffer now, or sufferthe medications.* You are considered a sufferer of a
later.Rebound headaches are usually dailyprimary headache disorder and you use prevention
occurrences, beginning early in the morning. Reboundmedication frequently and in large quantities.* Even the
headaches can lead to other problems includingslightest physical movement or bare minimum of
anxiety, depression, irritability andintellectual expenditure causes the onset of the
sleeplessness.MedicationsMigraine medications work toheadache.* Your headache is accompanied by any of
raise serotonin levels to ease pain. However, when toothese symptoms: anxiety, depression, difficulty in
much medication is ingested something happens to theconcentration, irritability, memory problems, nausea, and
serotonin levels, which causes the chemical to lose itsrestlessness.* You suffer withdrawal symptoms when
effectiveness. Research has shown that serotoninyou abruptly are taken off the medication.RecoveryIf
levels are lower when you take too much painyou have rebound headaches due to the overuse of
medication and then they rise slightly after themedications, the only way to recover is to cease
headaches gets better and you stop taking thetaking the drugs. If it is caffeine that is causing your
medication.If prescription or over-the-counter drugs arerebound headaches, reducing your intake may be of
taken too often or in greater amounts thanhelp. Before deciding on whether you want to stop
recommended, this can lead to rebound headaches. Inabruptly or gradually, the following need to be
addition to sedatives and tranquilizers, otherconsidered:1. Make sure you consult with a physician
rebound-causing medications include:1.before withdrawing from headache drugs. Certain
Caffeine-containing analgesics (Anacin, Excedrin, etc.).non-headache medications, such as anti-anxiety drugs
Caffeine, a primary ingredient in many headacheor beta-blockers, require gradual withdrawal.2. The
medicines, can relieve migraine pain temporarily.patient (you) may need to be hospitalized if the
However, taking medicine containing caffeine everysymptoms do not respond to treatment, or if they
day -- as well as drinking caffeine-loaded beveragescause severe nausea and vomiting.3. During the first
such as coffee or soft drinks -- can lead to morefew days, alternative medications may be
frequent and severe headaches. If the headache getsadministered. Examples of drugs that may be used
worse when you stop using caffeine, the caffeineinclude corticosteroids, dihydroergotamine (with or
may be the cause of some of your headaches.2.without metoclopramide), NSAIDs (in mild cases) or
Butalbital compounds (Fioricet, Fiorinal, Phrenilin, etc.);valproate.4. Whatever method you choose when
Isometheptene compounds (Duradrin, Midrin, etc.);stopping your medication, you will go through a period
Decongestants (Afrin, Dristan, Sudafed, Tylenol Sinus,of worsening headache afterward. Most people will
etc.); Ergotamines (D.II.E. 45, Ergomar, Migranal,feel better within 2 weeks, however, headache
Wigraine); Triptans (Amerge, Axert, Imitrex, Maxalt,symptoms can persist for as long as 4 months and in
Zomig); Opioids and related drugs (Darvocet,some rare cases even longer.Good NewsMany
OxyContin, Percocet, Tylenol with codeine, etc.).patients experience long-term relief from all headaches
Medications that include any form of codeine, such asafterward. The conclusion of one study showed that
Percocet, Tylenol 3, or Vicodin, must be used with careover 80% of patients significantly improved 4 months
because they can cause dependencyafter withdrawal.Visit Relieve Headache to learn more.
quickly.Symptoms* Your headache occurs daily orRon King is a full-time researcher, writer, and web
almost daily (3 or 4 times a week).* Your headachedeveloper, visit his website at Articles for
deviates in form, location on the head, severity andauthorsCopyright 2006 Ron King. This article may be
strength.* You have a lower than normal threshold forreprinted if the resource box is left intact and the links
pain.* You begin to notice evidence of an increasinglive.
tolerance to the effectiveness of analgesics over a