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34 Treatments for Headache

Tests

6	Over the Counter Medications

Self Care

14	Prescribed Medications

5	Alternative Procedures

6	Herbs and Supplements

Overview

Headache treatment is divided into two forms: abortive and prophylactic. Abortive treatment addresses a headache in progress, and prophylactic treatment prevents headache occurrence. Tension-type and migraine headaches can be treated with aspirin , acetaminophen , ibuprofen...[read article]

Tests for Headache

1. History and Physical Exam A physical examination is a routine test your doctor performs to check your overall health. It is also known as a wellness check. A physical examination helps your ... More
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Over the Counter Medications for Headache

1. acetaminophen(Tylenol , others...) Close ACETAMINOPHEN (a set a MEE noe fen) is a pain reliever. It is used to treat mild pain and fever. More
2. ibuprofen(Midol IB , others...) Close IBUPROFEN (eye BYOO proe fen) is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID). It is used for dental pain, fever, headaches or migraines, osteoarthritis, rheumato... More
3. naproxen(Aleve , others...) Close NAPROXEN (na PROX en) is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID). It is used to reduce swelling and to treat pain. This medicine may be used for dental pain,... More
4. aspirin(Arthritis Pain , others...) Close ASPIRIN (AS pir in) is a pain reliever. It is used to treat mild pain and fever. This medicine is also used as directed by a doctor to prevent and to treat heart at... More
5. ketoprofen(Orudis KT , Actron) KETOPROFEN (kee toe PROE fen) is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID). It is used to reduce swelling and to treat mild to moderate pain. This medicine may... More
6. niacin(Niacor , others...) Close NIACIN (NYE a sin) is used in combination with a healthy diet to lower 'bad' cholesterol and increase 'good' cholesterol. This medicine is also ... More
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Self Care for Headache

1. Relaxation Therapy Relaxation therapy is a broad term used to describe a number of techniques that promote stress reduction, the elimination of tension throughout the body, and a calm... More
2. Massage Massage therapy is the scientific manipulation of the soft tissues of the body for the purpose of normalizing those tissues and consists of manual techniques that i... More
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Prescribed Medications for Headache

1. ibuprofen(Motrin , others...) Close IBUPROFEN (eye BYOO proe fen) is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID). It is used for dental pain, fever, headaches or migraines, osteoarthritis, rheumato... More
2. naproxen(Naprelan '500' , others...) Close NAPROXEN (na PROX en) is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID). It is used to reduce swelling and to treat pain. This medicine may be used for dental pain,... More
3. aspirin(Easprin , others...) Close ASPIRIN (AS pir in) is a pain reliever. It is used to treat mild pain and fever. This medicine is also used as directed by a doctor to prevent and to treat heart at... More
4. ketoprofen(Orudis , Oruvail) KETOPROFEN (kee toe PROE fen) is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID). It is used to reduce swelling and to treat mild to moderate pain. This medicine may... More
5. niacin(Niacor , others...) Close NIACIN (NYE a sin) is used in combination with a healthy diet to lower 'bad' cholesterol and increase 'good' cholesterol. This medicine is also ... More
6. acetaminophen-codeine(Tylenol with Codeine , others...) Close ACETAMINOPHEN; CODEINE (a set a MEE noe fen; KOE deen) is a pain reliever. It is used to treat mild to moderate pain. More
7. acetaminophen-hydrocodone(Vicodin , others...) Close ACETAMINOPHEN; HYDROCODONE (a set a MEE noe fen; hye droe KOE done) is a pain reliever. It is used to treat mild to moderate pain. More
8. almotriptan(Axert ) ALMOTRIPTAN (al moh TRIP tan) is used to treat migraines with or without aura. An aura is a strange feeling or visual disturbance that warns you of an attack. It is... More
9. APAP/butalbital/caffeine(Fioricet , others...) Close ACETAMINOPHEN; BUTALBITAL; CAFFEINE (a set a MEE noe fen; byoo TAL bi tal; KAF een) is a pain reliever. It is used to treat tension headaches. More
10. APAP/caffeine/dihydrocodeine(Panlor SS , others...) Close ACETAMINOPHEN; CAFFEINE; DIHYDROCODEINE (a set a MEE noe fen; KAF een; dye hye droe KOE deen) is a pain reliever. It is used to treat moderate to severe pain. More
11. APAP/dichloralphenazone/isometheptene(Midrin , others...) Close ACETAMINOPHEN; DICHLORALPHENAZONE; ISOMETHEPTENE (a seet a MIN oh fen; dye klor al PHEN a zone; eye soe me THEP teen) is a pain reliever. It is used to treat migrai... More
12. diclofenac(Voltaren , others...) Close DICLOFENAC (dye KLOE fen ak) is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID). It is used to reduce swelling and to treat pain. It is used for osteoarthritis and r... More
13. sumatriptan(Imitrex ) SUMATRIPTAN (soo ma TRIP tan) is used to treat migraines with or without aura. An aura is a strange feeling or visual disturbance that warns you of an attack. It is... More
14. etodolac(Lodine , Lodine XL) ETODOLAC (ee toe DOE lak) is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID). It is used to reduce swelling and to treat pain. This medicine may be used to treat ost... More
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Alternative Procedures for Headache What's this?

1. Acupuncture The practice of acupuncture originated in China 5,000 years ago. Today it is widely used throughout the world and is one of the main pillars of Chinese medicine. Th... More \| Efficacy Grade C
2. Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS) Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) is a non-invasive technique in which a low-voltage electrical current is delivered through wires from a small pow... More Efficacy Grade C
3. Massage Various forms of therapeutic superficial tissue manipulation have been practiced for thousands of years across cultures. Chinese use of massage dates to 1600 BC, an... More
4. Chiropractic Manipulation Spinal manipulative therapies are those that are used on the human skeleton, particularly the spinal area, to relieve muscular or skeletal pain , relieve tension, i... More
5. Hydrotherapy Water has been used medicinally for thousands of years, with traditions rooted in ancient China, Japan, India, Rome, Greece, the Americas, and the Middle East. Ther... More
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Herbs and Supplements for Headache What's this?

1. 5-hydroxytryptophan 5-HTP is the precursor of the neurotransmitter serotonin. It is obtained commercially from the seeds of the plant Griffonia simplicifolia . 5-HTP has been suggested... More Efficacy Grade B
2. Belladonna Belladonna is an herb that has been used for centuries for a variety of indications, including headache, menstrual symptoms, peptic ulcer disease, inflammation, and... More Efficacy Grade C
3. Eucalyptus oil Eucalyptus oil is used commonly as a decongestant and expectorant for upper respiratory tract infections or inflammations, as well as for various musculoskeletal co... More Efficacy Grade C
4. Willow bark In the United States, willow bark is used by herbalists as an antipyretic (fever reducer), a mild analgesic (pain reliever), and an anti-inflammatory. There is curr... More Efficacy Grade C
5. peppermint Peppermint is a flowering plant that grows throughout Europe and North America. Peppermint is widely cultivated for its fragrant oil. Peppermint oil has been used h... More Efficacy Grade C
6. melatonin Melatonin is a hormone produced in the brain by the pineal gland from the amino acid tryptophan. The synthesis and release of melatonin are stimulated by darkness a... More
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This feature is for informational purposes only and should not be used to replace the care and information received from your healthcare provider. Please consult a healthcare professional with any health concerns you may have.

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