Chronic Tension Headaches
Chronic Tension Headache can, in many cases, be treated successfully with such over-the-counter analgesics as aspirin, acetaminophen, ibuprofen, naproxen, etc.
However, there are side effects of acetaminophen. These are rare but if the drug is taken for long periods of time and in large doses, it can cause serious liver damage.
Prescription drugs
There are also prescription NSAIDs such as naproxen (Naprelan, Naprosyn), indomethacin (Indocin) and ketorolac tromethamine (Torodol). The side effects of these drugs include nausea, diarrhea or constipation, abdominal or stomach pain, stomach bleeding and ulcers. These side effects can be reduced or eliminated by taking the drugs after meals or with milk.
Ophoids
Other drugs sometimes prescribed in the treatment of tension-type headaches are ophoids (meperidine and morphine), fenoprofen (Nalfon), and flurbiprofen (Ansaid).
If you do have chronic tension-type headaches, you must strictly avoid habit-forming analgesics. And you may find that biofeedback techniques can help.
Other alternatives
Other alternatives in the treatment of tension-type headaches are barbiturates (butalbital), ergots (such as ergotamine or dihydroergotamine), and anti-emetics such as prochlorperazine).
Your doctor may also suggest muscle relaxants such as Flexeril and Soma. (Note that these drugs do not actually relax skeletal muscles directly, but rather are analgesic (pain-relieving) drugs that act on a patient's brain.)
Combination medications
There are single medications that combine aspirin or acetaminophen with caffeine or a sedative drug such as butalbital. One example of this is Excedrin, which combines aspirin, acetaminophen and caffeine. These combination drugs may be more effective in controlling these headaches than pure analgesics.
Brand name drugs
There are also brand-name drugs such as Amidrine, Midrin and Migrex that are sometimes used to treat tension headaches. While many of these combination drugs are available over-the-counter, those that combine aspirin or acetaminophen with a sedative are available only by prescription. These drugs can be addictive and can actually lead to chronic daily headache. This means they should not be used more than one day a week and only with careful monitoring on the part of your doctor.
By Douglas Hanna
