If you suffer from headaches or migraines, take note: health experts warn that overuse of over-the-counter pain medication can worsen the condition of sufferers, leading to more headaches and increased pain, the Daily Express reports
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence has created a new set of guidelines for healthcare professionals to help properly advise their patients who suffer from frequent headaches.
"It is important for people to understand that different headaches require different treatments, so a correct diagnosis is vital," said Professor Gillian Leng, Deputy Chief Executive of the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. "It is important for people to understand that different headaches require different treatments, so a correct diagnosis is vital. People may not know that overusing some types of medication for treating tension-type headaches or migraines can actually make things worse, causing further pain."
Primary headaches include tension headaches and migraine attacks, while secondary headaches are caused by underlying problems such as stroke, sinus infection or neck injury. Failing to properly treat the source of headaches can lead to over-medication and more pain.
"The effective management of headaches depends on making a correct diagnosis and agreeing on an appropriate treatment plan," consultant neurologist Sam Chong, who helped to develop the guidelines, told the Daily Express. "Medication overuse headaches are a common problem. I hope this quality standard will go some way in raising awareness of this and ensure that people with headache and migraine are getting the right treatment."
Each year, an estimated 500,000 women and 100,000 men in the U.K. alone suffer from headaches due to the overuse of painkillers, research suggesting that the overuse of codeine, paracetamol, ibuprofen and aspirin makes the body more resistant to such medicaitons, thus making the sufferer resort to stronger painkillers. Withdrawal can occur when the medication wears off, causing a "rebound headache," which then prompts the sufferer to take more painkillers.
"Using painkillers no more than two to three times a week is fine. It's when they're taken more frequently that the problems start," Anne MacGregor, director of clinical research at the City of London Migraine Clinic, told the Daily Mail. "The only solution for rebound headaches is to stop taking the medication causing them."
Physical therapy, acupuncture, relaxation training, biofeedback, changes in diet and thermotherapy are all safe, alternative ways of treating headaches that may help sufferers treat the source of their pain rather than blocking out their symptoms. Regular exercise and management of headache triggers are ways to help avoid the onset of more headaches, though doctors highly recommend consulting with them before selecting the best treatment options.
