The old saying ‘an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure’ is well understood by those who suffer from severe headaches. It’s preferable not to get one in the first place. That’s particularly true of migraine sufferers. The pulsating, intense pain can produce unpleasant effects that actually outlast the migraine episode.
To attack that [...]

There are fascinating similarities and differences between aspirin and acetaminophen. Sometimes referred to by the alternate name, paracetamol, it is, like aspirin, an analgesic (pain reliever). Also like aspirin it has been used to treat headaches since the late 19th century. Yet there are interesting differences as well.
Aspirin works by interfering with the action of [...]

Aspirin, in some form, has been used as a treatment for over 2,500 years. The famed Greek physician, Hippocrates in the 5th century B.C. used an extract from the bark of the willow tree to treat fever. The chemical involved, salacin, is a natural product that is converted into salicylic acid in the body.
At the [...]

Regrettably, there’s no ‘one-size-fits-all’ answer to the question: Which is the better medication, Brand Name or Generic? Which you choose will depend on a number of individual circumstances, along with real differences between the two.
In the U.S. and many other countries, the development of medications - even simple ones, such as aspirin, acetaminophen or ibuprofen [...]

Given the variety of headaches, and headache sufferers, it shouldn’t be surprising that the causes are equally diverse. There are literally hundreds of possible causes for headaches. Some are the result of underlying medical problems, such as (in rare cases) brain tumors or cerebral aneurysms. But the most common headaches have common causes.
In many cases, [...]

Though relatively rare, cluster headaches are regarded as among the most painful conditions known. Though migraines affect about 10% of the population, less than 1/3 of one percent have experienced a cluster headache. The vast majority are fortunate not to have. Many anecdotal reports say cluster headaches are worse than migraines or even child birth.
Often [...]

The variety of symptoms from headaches is considerable, and vary with different types.
Possibly the most common is the tension headache, usually the result of muscle tension in the neck and shoulders, or around the face. Migraines, affecting about 6-13% of the population (roughly 6% are men, 13% are women), is much higher in intensity (and [...]

Despite how common they are, headaches are somewhat mysterious. Unlike, say, diabetes it isn’t know exactly what produces that particular kind of pain. Making the condition even more strange, there are in fact many different types of headaches.
Migraines afflict about 28 million Americans, in a ratio of about three to one women to men. Yet, [...]

Many headaches, especially severe migraine or those caused by underlying medical conditions, are caused by factors outside your control. Though, there are often steps to take to reduce or eliminate the pain, the causes are not a matter of choice. But in some cases, the triggers that produce a headache, or at least up the [...]

Given that nearly every adult has suffered from a headache, diagnosing one should be the simplest thing in the world. When you have one, you know it. But despite the obvious and easily perceived pain, diagnosis can be a little trickier than one might suppose.
Physicians have no general and definitive set of tests for diagnosing [...]

Regrettably, like most medications, two common treatments for migraine carry risks for side effects: ergots and Midrin.
Ergots are a class of compounds, similar to triptans, that are technically known as 5-HT1B/1D agonists. That is, they block action by sitting on nerve receptors where natural biochemicals would otherwise reside. They are among the oldest treatments for [...]

The causes of headaches aren’t known with certainty in any case. But given that migraines and tension headaches - by far the most common types - occur much more frequently in women, it’s reasonable to suppose that hormones play a role. Those hormones are undergoing rapid change in a pregnant woman so it shouldn’t be [...]

Ibuprofen is in a class of drugs called NSAIDs (Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs). The acronym gives one a clue about how they work. Ibuprofen, like aspirin, reduces inflammation. The expansion and irritation of tissue generates nerve signals that we perceive as pain. Reducing the inflammation reduces the pain.
Also like aspirin, ibuprofen is used to treat a [...]

Diagnosis of nearly any medical condition is harder than it seems. For example, many people who believe they have sinusitis (an inflammation of the sinus cavities that produces headache pain), often actually have a mild migraine. According to one reliable study, 97% of the participants misdiagnosed their condition, in fact having migraines.
But you can improve [...]

There are over 300 medical conditions cataloged that can produce or accompany a headache. One of the more common is one known as sinusitis. Often misdiagnosed, when in fact the condition is a migraine, full or inflamed sinuses (along with the accompanying pressure) can definitely cause pain in the face and head - by definition, [...]

Ordinary headaches were long thought to be the result of tension, hence the name ‘tension headache’. Contemporary research is suggesting that is unlikely, though the causes remain mysterious.
Some researchers suspect that, as with migraines, the underlying cause is more likely to be the interaction of serotonin with nerve cells. Research involving anti-depressants and other drugs [...]

There’s no unique correct answer to which option, surgery or drugs (or some other), is best. The answer depends on individual factors, not least of which is the specific condition the patient suffers from that produces regular headaches.
The causes of migraines, for example, are not well understood. Currently, surgery is rarely used. But when the [...]

A common symptom of a migraine is acute, throbbing pain on one side of the head, usually localized near a temple. It is very often accompanied by other symptoms, though, such as nausea and vomiting and sensitivity to light and noise.
Over 28 million Americans suffer from migraine, nearly 10% of the population. It inflicts women [...]

It took many years for migraine sufferers to get an effective treatment. Over 28 million Americans have long hoped for something like triptans. While no miracle cure, they are among the most effective class of drugs available for that intense, throbbing pain that can strike any time.
Triptans are a class of drugs that are chemically [...]

Who is more likely to get a headache? While the exact causes of headaches of all kinds is still an ongoing research effort, many studies point to some likely culprits. Those factors vary with the different types of headache - tension, cluster or migraine.
Tension headaches are so-named because they are believed to be the result [...]