Headaches And Pain Relief Medicine
Thursday, June 12th, 2008 Subscribe To Our Feed
Headaches are a common problem that affects millions of Americans. There are also many different types of headaches, from tension headaches to migraines to cluster headaches. Although research is still ongoing as to what precisely causes some of these headaches, many patients have taken pain relief medicine available to treat each one.
Headache Types and Treatments
The tension headache is the most general type of headaches. By its name, you can most likely guess what this type of headache is related to. It is believed that they are due to the tension in the muscles of the face, neck, back and shoulders. They usually show up as a continuous pain in the area of the eyes and temples. Pain relief medicine is usually used to treat this type of headache.
Aspirin, acetaminophen, and ibuprofen are the most commonly used pain relief medicine for this condition. Though aspirin has been used to treat headaches for decades, it is not effective for everyone. Certain side effects that aspirin has had eliminated it as an option for many people. Aspirin has been known to cause discomfort the stomach lining in some people. It also should be refrained by those whose blood does not clot properly. Aspirin is a well known blood thinner and has been used as part of the treatment for many heart conditions.
Acetaminophen is one type of pain relief medicine that is used to treat headaches. Acetaminophen, unlike aspirin will only treat the pain and not the inflammation that often causes it. However, Acetaminophen is safe for all stages of pregnancy. With ibuprofen this is not the case, which is especially dangerous during the third trimester.
A more severe form of headache that affects around 28 million Americans are Migraines. It usually shows up as an intense, stabbing or throbbing pain in the areas of the temples. Common symptoms are sensitivity to light and sound, as well as nausea and vomiting. For mild to moderate cases, the previously mentioned over-the-counter pain relief medicine can provide some relief. For more severe cases, prescription medication is often necessary.
The most effective form of migraine treatment to date has probably been Triptans. However, they are no miracle drug. Migraines are believed to be caused by the way a neurotransmitter, called serotonin, interacts with various nerve receptors. Triptans are resembling their make up to these neurotransmitters, and are used to take their place on the nerve receptors. The triptans are just different to diminish the effects that are thought to cause migraine pain. Known pain relief medicine for this problem; Midrin and ergots are similarly used to treat migraines.
In some cases, headaches are due to some other underlying medical condition. This is why it is so important to get the proper check up for your headache pain. Usually when the problem is treated with some type of medication, it also acts as a pain relief medicine for your headaches.
Consult your physician as soon as you can if you experience persistent or severe headaches. Provide them as much information about the symptoms you are having. All the information that you provide, combined with the proper battery of tests, can assist them to pinpoint the best form of treatment.
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