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Rebound Headaches

© Barbara J. Mitchell

Do you take a pain reliever more than three times a week for headaches? Do your headaches get worse just about the time the analgesic wears off? Are you having headaches almost daily? If so, you may have rebound headaches. The following theory isn't universally agreed upon by the experts. Dr. Seymour Diamond of the Diamond Headache Clinic in Chicago, for instance, doesn't believe you can build a tolerance to analgesics.

However, many experts believe that if you take pain medication frequently for headaches, your body eventually becomes accustomed to it. Because of your body's exposure to the analgesic, your pain comes back even stronger when it wears off. You may also develop a constant mild headache that gets worse off and on during the day.

You aren't aware of this effect because it happens gradually over months or years. You may be so accustomed to taking a pain reliever that you don't really realize how much you're taking. Without intending to do anything but ease your headache pain, you have embarked upon a vicious cycle that will be difficult to overcome.

Other symptoms often accompany rebound headaches. According to the Mayo Clinic, you may have nausea, restlessness, anxiety, irritability, memory problems, difficulty concentrating, or depression.

When you're sure you're going to have a headache and, naturally enough, you don't want to suffer, you may even take an analgesic ahead of time to nip it in the bud. Then you're setting yourself up for more medication, more headaches, more medication, more headaches, and on and on.

So, what can you do about it? The only way to stop the cycle is to stop taking the pain reliever, and stick it out until you are rid of the rebound effect. This isn't easy. At some point you're going to be sorely tempted (sorry for the pun) to give in because you believe you can't live with the awful headaches. Actually, you may want your doctor's help to accomplish this process safely. There are ways he can help you wean yourself from the medication without the worst of the withdrawal symptoms.

Withdrawal symptoms? Yes, that's exactly what you are going through even though your over-the-counter analgesic is not a narcotic. Your body has adapted to this drug and it will protest when you stop taking it. Temporarily your headaches will get worse and you may have other symptoms, but then you will begin to feel better and when the withdrawal is finished, you may find that you have conquered the headaches as well. You won't be headache free, but they may have become quite manageable.