At the start of a migraine attack, the first thing you might do is reach for your pain medication. That’s a perfectly acceptable strategy to have in your toolbox for the occasional headache, but what if you’re having headaches or migraine attacks all the time? Taking pain relievers more than a couple of times a week can actually cause headaches. Known as medication overuse or rebound headaches, this little known side effect of regular pain relief usage is one you should watch out for.
How do you know if your medication is causing your headache?
- Your headache may be from your medications if:
- They happen often- maybe every day
- The headache is there from the moment you wake-up
- They may go away or improve with pain medications, but the relief doesn’t last once the drugs have worn off
What should you do to prevent medication overuse headaches?
If you’re experiencing frequent headaches, you should reach out to your doctor. Together, you can evaluate your current treatment plan, and consider alternatives like acupuncture, thermal biofeedback, or NeuroSpectral Regulation Lenses. These options, together with taking over the counter pain killers less than 15 times per week, can reduce your risk of medication overuse headache.
Mayo Clinic Staff. (2023). Medication overuse headaches.