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Severe Headache Treatment

Headaches are often unpredictable and can quickly put your life on pause as you deal with the associated pain. Headaches also vary in degrees of pain and debilitation. A mild headache may allow you to still go about your daily activities without much interruption; however, a severe headache can leave you lying in bed unable to move because of the pain. Luckily, there are treatments available for even the most severe of headaches.

  1. Heat

    • Many severe headaches can stem from tense muscles in the back of the neck and shoulders. Placing a warm heating pad directly on the neck and shoulders can help relax the muscles, as well as increase the blood flow to the muscle to help heal the tension. As the muscle relaxes, the tension will decrease, helping to relieve some of the pain.

    Prescription Analgesics

    • Over-the-counter medicines many times do not work for severe headaches. In these situations, a prescription analgesic may be recommended. Analgesics are drugs that work specifically on the nervous system to block the pain signals in your body. Examples of these prescriptions are salicylates, morphine and tramadol.

    Tricyclic Antidepressants

    • The problem with many analgesics is that after extended use, the drug can backfire and start producing rebound headaches. To avoid this, many doctors choose to instead prescribe tricyclic antidepressants. Normally reserved for psychological disorders, this class of medication has proven quite effective in the treatment of severe headaches. This is because the tricyclic antidepressants work on the opioid sensors of the body, causing a natural pain relief effect.

    Narcotics

    • When headaches are not responding to any methods, prescription narcotics may be issued by your doctor. Narcotics are much stronger forms of analgesics that help block the pain sensors in the body. Example of prescription narcotics include codeine, hydrocodone or morphine. Narcotics mainly only work for acute severe headaches, as extended treatment with the drugs can cause rebound headaches, or in some cases opioid dependence and addiction.

    Alternative Treatments

    • If you are reluctant to use medication for your severe headaches, you may opt for more natural alternative methods. Acupuncture is a popular choice for those seeking relief from headaches. Massage therapy is also a beneficial treatment for severe headaches, especially for headaches that are specifically related to stress.

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