Alternative medicine (1)
- Hypnosis: Another way to manage pain, kick bad habits
Lifestyle and home remedies (3)
- Headaches: Reduce stress to prevent the pain
- Migraines: Simple steps to head off the pain
- Headaches: Self-care measures for headache relief
Risk factors (1)
- Stress symptoms: Effects on your body, feelings and behavior
Symptoms (2)
- Common headache types
- Migraine self-assessment
Treatments and drugs (2)
- Headaches: Treatment depends on your symptoms
- Migraine guide
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continued:
Headaches: Treatment depends on your symptoms
Do you take pain medication more than two or three days a week?
If you've been taking pain medication often, the headaches may be caused by medication overuse. These are known as rebound headaches. The pain may be dull, achy, throbbing or pounding. A rebound headache may awaken you early in the morning and continue throughout the day. The pain may be most severe at first, when the medication begins to wear off.
Anyone who has migraines, tension-type headaches or other chronic headaches is at risk of developing rebound headaches from the overuse of pain relievers. The only way to stop rebound headaches is to reduce or stop taking the medication that's causing the headaches.
Do the headaches follow a specific activity?
Sometimes exercise, sex, bouts of coughing or other activities trigger headaches. An exercise-induced headache may last from five minutes to 48 hours. Most sex headaches last a few minutes, but others may linger for a few hours. Primary cough headaches typically last a few seconds to a few minutes.
These types of headaches are unusual. They're usually short-lived, making treatment unnecessary. When acute treatment is needed, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs — such as aspirin and ibuprofen — may be effective. Your doctor may recommend various tests to help detect any underlying conditions.
Recognize emergency symptoms
Sometimes a headache signals a serious underlying condition. Seek emergency evaluation if any of the features below are present.
- Sudden onset of severe headache
- Fever, stiff neck, rash, confusion, seizure, double vision, weakness, numbness or difficulty speaking
- Onset after a head injury, fall or bump
- Pain worsens despite rest and over-the-counter pain medication
Take control
Most headaches are nothing to worry about. But if headaches are disrupting your daily activities, work or personal life, it's time to take action. Headaches can't always be prevented, but your doctor can help you manage the signs and symptoms.
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