Management of Chronic Headaches - Treatments - Medicinal Treatments - Analgesic and Abortive Medications

Analgesic and Abortive Medications

The most common chronic treatment method is the use of medicine. Many people try to seek pain relief from analgesic medicines (commonly termed pain killers), such as aspirin, acetaminophen, aspirin compounds, ibuprofen, and narcotics. Also, abortive medications can be used to "stop a headache once it has begun"; such drugs include ergotamine (Cafergot), triptans (Imitrex), and prednisone (Deltasone). However, medical professionals advise that abuse of analgesics and abortive medications can actually lead to an increase in headaches. The painkiller medicines help headaches temporarily, but as the "quick fix" wears off, headaches become more re-current and grow in intensity. These "rebound headaches" can actually make the body less responsive to preventive medication. Therefore, analgesic and abortive medications are often advised for headaches that are not chronic in nature.

Read more about this topic:  Management Of Chronic Headaches, Treatments, Medicinal Treatments

Famous quotes containing the word abortive:

    To write anything tolerable, the mind must be in a natural, proper disposition; provocatives, in that case, as well as in another, will only produce miserable, abortive performances.
    Philip Dormer Stanhope, 4th Earl Chesterfield (1694–1773)