Do you suffer from severe headaches or migraines? If so, you’re not alone; the American Brain Foundation estimates that 14% of U.S. adults have the same problem. As a result, some have also developed opioid dependence, relying on medications to manage the pain.
The problem, however, is that overusing medications can inadvertently lead to more frequent and severe headaches. It might come as a surprise, but it’s a real phenomenon that health professionals refer to as “medication overuse headache” (MOH), also called “rebound headache.”
So, what exactly is MOH? What causes rebound headaches, and, most importantly, how can you avoid or minimize their severity and frequency?
What Is Medication Overuse Headache?
Medication overuse headache is a secondary headache disorder that results from the excessive use of medication to treat headache pain or migraine. In other words, it’s a headache that results from overusing medications to treat an initial bout of headache pain.
According to a study published in the National Library of Medicine, it is among the top 20 most debilitating diseases. It affects approximately 58.5 million people worldwide. About one in three people with chronic migraines experience MOH, and experts believe it is more common in women than in men.
What Causes Rebound Headaches?
Headaches can arise from many sources, such as stress and tension. People may take analgesics frequently to ease worsening symptoms, especially when headaches persist.
The problem arises when chronic headaches lead to medication reliance. Even when effective initially, frequent use can paradoxically result in more severe and frequent headaches.
Scientists have yet to discover how and why this paradox occurs. However, they believe it involves medicines disrupting the body’s natural pain-regulating mechanisms.
Some potential rebound headache triggers are:
- Excessive Use of Pain Medication: Relying on over-the-counter (OTC) or prescription drugs more than twice a week.
- Underlying Conditions: Conditions like migraines, tension-type headaches, or cluster headaches.
- Stress and Anxiety: Emotional factors that may exacerbate headache frequency.
- Trivializing Headaches: Dismissing regular headaches as something that a pill can always treat.
MOH Prevention and Headache Relief Methods
Addressing medication overuse headaches requires a two-pronged approach:
- Stop the overused medications
- Implement alternative therapies
It might feel daunting at first, but there are plenty of alternatives that can help intervene with MOH. Here are some effective treatment strategies to consider:
- Gradual Medication Withdrawal: Work with your health care provider to taper off the overused medications slowly.
- Behavior Modification: Staying hydrated, maintaining a regular sleep schedule, and managing stress through mindfulness will help with weaning off the medications you usually rely on.
- Integrated Treatment Plans: Talk to your health care provider about a customized treatment for you and to discuss specific lifestyle alterations you can make to help manage your headache pain more naturally.
- Consider Alternative Therapies: Think outside the box (or the pill bottle, in this case.). Alternative therapies like gammaCore™ non-invasive vagus nerve stimulator (nVNS), a portable, handheld medical device, is clinically proven to provide drug-free relief by block the pain signals associated with migraine and headache pain. It’s available with a prescription from your health care provider, easy to use at home, treatments are quick, and you don’t have to worry about the side effects associated with medications.
All these strategies can lead to a positive and proactive path toward managing pain without triggering medication overuse headaches.
Seek Help for a Pain-Free Future
Now that you know what causes rebound headaches, it’s time to break the cycle of pain. Seek professional guidance and personalized care, and consider incorporating innovative, drug-free solutions, such as gammaCore nVNS, into your treatment plan.
To see if gammaCore is right for you, visit our clinic finder to locate a health care provider near you, or contact our dedicated Customer Experience team at 888-903-2673 or customerservice@electrocore.com.
