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Headache

Headache Pain Treatment Products - When 2 Aspirin Just Aren't Enough

Headache:

Recently studies have shown that approximately 45 million people in the United States alone have reported having headaches for which they have to take some type of pain medication. While the majority of the headaches suffered are not serious in nature, they can be at least temporarily debilitating. Headache pain can be caused by many different things. Some people get tension headaches from the stress they suffer when dealing with every day life activities involving family and work. Some people suffer from headaches due to medical conditions such as migraines, sinus problems, and allergies. Some women suffer from hormonal headaches due to the onset of their period each month.

Most of us just turn to an over the counter medication for relief, such as aspirin, Tylenol, Advil, or Aleve. But, what about those that need prescription medication? There are people who have tried prescription medication and that has not helped relieve their headaches. And then, there are people that are leery of taking a lot of prescription medication for headaches. Some may worry that the prescription medication will cause adverse affects when interacting with other medication while others simply would rather take a homeopathic approach to easing their headache pain. Because there are so many variables when dealing with headaches, there are many different headache pain treatment products available.

If you suffer from hormonal headaches, you may notice the pain is on one side of your head. You may also be extra sensitive to light and noise when suffering from a hormonal headache. What type of headache pain treatment products can you turn to for help? Many people use over the counter non-steroid anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDs) that contain ibuprofen (such as Advil and Motrin) or naproxen (Aleve). However, in some cases, those may not help relieve the headache. If ibuprofen or naproxen do not help you, check with your doctor about ergotamine or methysergide, two prescription pain medications used to treat hormonal headaches. Some doctors may even prescribe tamoxifen, estrogen, or suggest that you begin taking birth control pills to help ease the pain.

People who suffer from migraines regardless of the cause may find that taking the prescription drug Imitrex will help relieve their headache pain. Imitrex has been used to treat migraine headaches since 1993 and has proven to have little side effects. Imitrex is available in tablets, but also in a nasal spray (for those who have difficulty swallowing pills) or injection (for quicker relief).

People with allergy and sinus problems may find themselves suffering from headaches as part of their symptoms. Over the counter medication such as Advil Allergy Sinus or Tylenol Allergy, can be take for sinus or allergy headaches, but there is also prescription medication available. Allegra, Zyrtec, and Clarinex have all been used to treat sinus and allergy headaches.

For those that do not want to take prescription medication, there are alternative homeopathic solutions to relieve headache pain. Boericke and Tafel Alpha SH is a homeopathic tablet that helps relieve headache and sinus pressure. These tablets must be placed under your tongue 15 minutes either before eating or drinking anything other than water or 30 minutes after eating or drinking. Even children as young as 2 can take one tablet every two hours for relief.

Hyland's Headache Formula #7 is another homeopathic tablet that can be taken to relieve headaches, whether the headache is located on the left side, right side, or middle running down to the base of your neck.

HeadOn is a new headache relief product that is applied directly to the forehead to relieve pain due to headaches. It is homeopathic and can be used as often as needed. This is a great product for those that do not like to swallow pills.

As with all medication, you should consult with your doctor before taking even homeopathic headache products.

Some medication can cause side affects, such as Imitrex, which can cause drowsiness. Some can react adversely when combined with other medication. If you are currently taking prescription medication for your headache, but it is not helping, talk to your doctor about it. Chances are that there are other medications he or she can prescribe to try to help your headache pain.

Dr. Beth Paxton is a family physician and educator who specializes in pain management including migraine headaches, tension headaches and natural headache remedies. http://www.headache-guide.com.