Headaches From Too Many Pain Pills?
Many headache sufferers eventually develop a tolerance to headache medications and require more and more medication to relieve pain. And with narcotics there is always the risk of addiction. What about side effects of headache medications? Excessive aspirin can cause kidney damage and ulcers, as well as other stomach problems. Some of the more potent medications can constrict the arteries in the head and lead to a heart attack or stroke. Pain medications can cause drowsiness and can limit your ability to drive. The most commonly prescribed headache medications are analgesics or sedatives. Many often contain caffeine. The irony is that often these medications themselves can lead to headaches! According to a leading authority on headaches, Ninan T. Matthews, M.D., of Houston Headache Clinic, “Most of the time it is difficult to distinguish between a primary headache and one caused by the medication itself. Analgesic and drug-induced headaches are serious. Professional help is needed to b