Neuro Tip: Over-the-Counter Headache Remedies May Actually Aggravate Your Headaches

If you find yourself constantly taking over-the-counter remedies to relieve headaches, you may want to reconsider. Not all headaches are alike, and not all can be controlled with these medications. Some can even cause you to have what are called “rebound” or recurring headaches. While television commercials and magazine ads continue to tout that these medications can relieve your pain, most only temporarily mask the symptoms. You should check with your physician before you take them. Many of these medications contain caffeine, which can cause your headache to worsen because of its stimulant side effects.

Here’s a quick lesson in headaches. They can be classified into categories and are often treated differently:
· Migraine
· Tension
· Cluster
· Hormone-related
· Rebound

Migraine headaches can be debilitating and often occur more often in women. They can be caused by stress, hormone fluctuation and changes in barometric pressure. Tension headaches can affect anyone, can occur often and regularly and may be caused by fatigue, stress and certain medical conditions. Cluster headaches occur in groups, so patients may suffer from multiple headaches in a day. Men are more susceptible to these headaches than women.

Hormone-related headaches are caused by fluctuation in the body’s hormones and are more common in women. Men, however, can suffer from these as well. These are often precipitated by women’s menstrual cycles, use of birth control pills, and pregnancy. Rebound headaches can occur from taking the wrong type of medication – often those purchased over-the-counter. Not only can these medications cause rebound headaches, they can cause other health problems down the road.

The lessen here is to understand which type of headache you have before you take medication. Headaches can be controlled but you need to seek appropriate treatment by a healthcare professional. Think of this comparison: You wouldn’t treat the stomach flu with over-the-counter sinus medication. Headaches are no exception. Different headaches require different treatments. Talk to your physician if you suffer from headaches.