Headaches
Brain Pain
By Nicole Kwan
Four ways to banish nagging headaches
Doesn't matter whether your headache stems from work, kids, or county-long traffic jams, you have only one thing on your mind: How to stop the pounding. The exact cause of tension headaches--whether it's muscles, ligaments, tendons, or the nervous system--hasn't been figured out fully, which is why there's no single solution for treating them, says Curtis P. Schreiber, M.D., of the Headache Care Center in Springfield, Missouri. Here are some solutions, depending on your treatment preferences.
THE PHARMACIST
The Treatment: Try an over-the-counter pain reliever such as acetaminophen (Tylenol) or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like ibuprofen (Advil) or naxoproxen (Aleve). "I prefer to recommend Tylenol first because it has a lower risk for side effects, but people should use whatever solves the problem for them individually," says Christine Cheng, Pharm.D., of the University of California at San Francisco.
The Fine Print: If taking pain relievers more than twice a week, or if symptoms persist for more than 10 days, see a doctor.
THE M.D.
The Treatment: The most effective prescription pharmaceuticals for pain are NSAIDs, Dr. Schreiber says. But if headaches occur frequently, talk to your doctor about a daily medication that both reduces and prevents headaches, like amitripyline (an antidepressant) or tizanidine (a muscle relaxant).
The Fine Print: Treat a headache too frequently and you risk getting rebound headaches. "If the rebound headache feels the same or worse than a regular headache, that signals things are going haywire," Dr. Schreiber says.
