Relief From Chronic Headaches

If you have headaches that occur at least 15 days each month, they are considered chronic daily headaches. Some headaches feel dull; some feel like a lot of pressure. Your headache may feel like consistent pain on one side of your head or it may affect both sides. The choice of relief options for your headache depends on the type of headache you are experiencing.

Tension Headaches

• Tension headaches are the most common type of headache. They often feel dull and as though a tight band has been wrapped around your head. They can last from a half hour to an entire week. Most tension headaches are remedied with over-the-counter medications, including aspirin, ibuprofen (such as Advil) and acetaminophen (like Tylenol). However, chronic tension headaches may call for an even more potent prescribed remedy. Tricyclic antidepressants may help prevent a tension headache from forming. Sedatives (like clonazepam), muscle relaxants (such as Skelaxin), and opioids (like Vicodin) may help control severe tension headaches as they occur.

Migraine Headaches

• People with migraines also often experience nausea, vomiting and sensitivity to light and sound. Additionally, about 60 percent of migraine headaches affect one side of your head. These headaches can last between four and 72 hours and are often made worse by routine activities. There are three types of migraine headache relief: medications that reduce the amount of attacks you have, stop a migraine in its tracks, and treat the pain of a migraine as well as the symptoms that accompany it.

  -Antidepressants, blood pressure medicines, seizure medications and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) help reduce the amount of headaches that a chronic migraine sufferer experiences.
  -Medicines that stop a migraine in its tracks are over-the-counter pain medications, triptans such as Frova and Imitrex, isometheptene (Medrex) and ergots such as Cafergot.
  -Relief of migraine symptoms comes with medications such as over-the-counter pain relievers, sedatives, narcotic pain relievers and nausea medicines.

Cluster Headaches

• Cluster headaches are a rare type of chronic headache which only occur in about 1 percent of the population. They are repetitive, coming and going for weeks. The pain of a cluster headache will begin quickly and intensely, often within minutes. The headache may last between 15 minutes and three hours. People who have cluster headaches feel them on only one side of the head, and they may also experience a stuffed nose and a watery eye. Over-the-counter pain relievers are mostly considered ineffective for cluster headaches because the pain starts quickly and ends quickly. Instead, preventative medications such as anti-seizure medication, lithium and calcium-channel blockers may be prescribed. One known way to help relieve cluster headaches when they begin is to inhale 100 percent oxygen through a mask.

Tip

• If you are experiencing headaches that consistently interfere with your daily life, speak to a physician who is qualified to diagnose your condition and prescribe medication for you. In addition to receiving medicinal assistance, complementary ways to cope with chronic headaches include meditation, yoga, acupuncture and massage therapy. Combining medication with lifestyle changes has been known to help many get relief from chronic headaches.