Prescription and No Prescription Headache Medications and How They Work

The majority of common headaches such as migraines and fever headache, just like other sicknesses, have their own treatments and prescribed medications. Many, headache medications are available by prescription only, which means you must have a doctor or medical expert’s prescription to purchase and use it. However, there’s one headache medication which is normally publicly available, and that would be none other than acetaminophen.

The Most Commonly Found Tablets

In European and Asian countries, this medication is called acetaminophenl and comes in a famous form called the “Panadol,” which is found in tablets of either 500mg or a maximum of 1000mg each. Acetaminophen or (Tylenol) as we know comes normally in the form of tablet all around the world. It is hard to take it in liquid form, due to the bitter after taste.

Acetaminophen is a common analgesic and antipyretic drug that is used to relieve of fever, headaches, and other minor aches and pains. Acetaminophen is also useful in managing more severe pain, allowing lower dosages of additional non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) or opioid analgesics to be used, thereby minimizing overall side effects. It is a main ingredient in numerous cold and flu medicines as well as many prescription analgesics. It is considered safe for human use when the recommended dosage is not exceeded, but because of its wide availability, deliberate or accidental overdoses are rather widespread.

Aspirin is the next most used medication for common headaches, which also comes in the form of tablet. Unlike acetaminophen tablets which come in white, aspirin usually has color; the most famous one being yellow. And aspirin is not just limited to headaches, but can be used for many others types of pains as well. Although acetaminophen also can do the job well, aspirin is better because it works more efficiently in making sure the blood flow is smoothened and the clogs are removed.

How are Headache Medications Categorized and Taken?

There are three different categories of headache medications. This will help you to find the best medicine for you. The first type is those used for symptomatic relief. This type of medication is used to treat headache pains and the accompanying symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, et cetera.

The second type would be those that are used for abortive therapy. This would include the common headache medications we saw above; the acetaminophen and aspirin. As we know, they are used to stop the headache usually only temporarily.

Preventative Headache Medications

The third type of medications are those used for preventive therapy. As the name suggests, the medicines here are used to prevent the headache, normally taken when you have fever, to avoid the headache from coming, or similar situations like that.

The major prescription drugs used to treat tension, migraine, and sometimes cluster headaches include: beta blockers such as Lopressor, Tenormin and Inderal; calcium channel blockers such as Dilacor, Procardia and Cardizem antidepressants such as Elavil and Zoloft; serotonin antagonists such as Sansert; anticonvulsants such as Dilantin, Tegretol and Depakote, and ergot derivatives such as Sansert and Cafergot

Calcium channel blockers have relatively few side effects. These few side effects may include increased headaches, dizziness, gastrointestinal distress, possible swelling of the ankles, and depression. They may additionally lower blood pressure and change your pulse rate.

Beta blockers are used to slow down your heart rate and lower your blood pressure. They can make you feel tired and cause you to gain weight. These drugs may also make you depressed, upset your stomach, cause nightmares or insomnia, or cause you to lose some hair. All these symptoms reverse when you stop taking the drug.

Keep in mind, headache medications are always best taken with the prescribed recommendations. This means that it is not enough for you to know the right headache medications, but also finding and avoiding the triggers. After finding the triggers you then need to make the correct dietary or lifestyle changes. Moderate exercises and relaxation therapies as well as biofeedback can also be useful.