Published on 18/01/2024

Rebound Headaches: How to Get Rid of Medication Overuse- Headaches

If you have been suffering from long-term headaches, then you may have heard about rebound headaches. Rebound headaches are pretty common among people who are suffering from headache disorders and consuming long-term headaches. 

When you suffer from headaches, you are prescribed pain–relievers, right? But did you know that they can only give relief for a short time? Naturally, this leads to taking more medication than you should. When you start to take the pain medication more than once or twice a week, they might become very-headaches you were trying to treat in the first place. 

Fioricet is one of the most commonly prescribed medications to treat headaches and in some cases, migraines too. You can order Fioricet online in New York at Shopemed.com.

What is a rebound headache?

Rebound headaches are a part of a vicious circle of headaches. Suppose you have a pre-existing chronic headache and you develop another fresh headache after overusing your headache medication for a long term. In that case, these are the rebound headaches (also known as medication overuse headaches).

Long-term use of migraine medications is one such example. Though analgesics provide temporary relief to headaches, it might be the reason behind the recurring headaches as well. 

When you already have a  headache disorder and the habit of taking more medication than needed, the chances of getting rebound headaches get much higher. However, people who have never had any headache disorder, do not face this problem. Plus if you take analgesics for arthritis or similar conditions without any history of headache disorders, you won’t have medication-overuse headaches. 

Common Symptoms of Rebound Headaches

When anyone with chronic headaches experiences a fresh headache after taking medicine, it's known as a rebound or medication-overuse headache. This happens because using painkillers frequently might exacerbate pre-existing headaches or generate entirely new types of everyday headaches.

You might have rebound headaches or medication overuse headaches if you have:

• Fever or stiff neck
  
• Confusion 
•  Drowsiness
• Loss of consciousness
• Loss of strength or sensation in some parts of the body
• Loss of sight 
• When you have had a headache for 15 days and already have a pre-existing headache disorder
• Overusing headache medication for more than 3 months 
• There is no other diagnosis that can explain your condition 

Other symptoms might look like:

• Nausea.
  
• Restlessness.
• Trouble concentrating.
• Memory problems.
• Irritability.

Probable Causes of Rebound Headaches 

The exact reason for rebound headaches or medication overuse headaches is still under research. Overconsumption of any of the following medications : 

• Opioids, such as oxycodone and tramadol
  
• Ergotamine tartrate
• Caffeine, from medications or drinks  
• Aspirin
• Acetaminophen (Tylenol)
• Triptans, like sumatriptan, rizatriptan, and zolmitriptan
• NSAIDs such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) and naproxen (Aleve)
• Nasal decongestants, like pseudoephedrine (Sudafed)

Apart from these medications, centralization of pain is another reason behind rebound headaches. When you have chronic pain, it changes the way your body understands and translates pain. So, with time, you feel pain from sensations that didn’t hurt before. This triggers the pain signals easily. 

What is the overuse of a medication?

Now let us understand what qualifies as overuse. Medication overuse simply means when you increase the quantity and decrease the frequency of taking them. In this context, we are talking about headache medications. Taking any medication will make you dependent on it. So, here they trigger the headache they were supposed to fight.

In a way, these headaches are like withdrawal symptoms. Stopping the medication on which you have become dependent will affect you by bringing back the headache.

What does a rebound headache feel like?

Rebound headaches tend to become very common. They occur every day or on alternate days.

• A dull, long-lasting pain 
  
• It gets worse in the morning 
• It comes back the moment the effect of your medication goes away

How long do rebound headaches last?

Once you develop rebound headaches, they come back frequently. They happen either daily or on alternate days. They may go on for the entire day or only six hours. Sometimes, they are worse in the morning. 

Rebound headaches are a symptom of a painful cycle in which you take medication to treat a migraine that you have—however, overdosing results in rebound headaches. The cycle then continues when you take a painkiller to get rid of the headache. Headaches that rebound may persist for several weeks or months, or until the cycle is interrupted.

How to get rid of rebound headaches

If you're taking prescription or over-the-counter migraine medicine, be sure to carefully follow your doctor's instructions. For over-the-counter medications, the guidelines are right on the label of the box or bottle, but depending on your health, your doctor might suggest a lesser amount for you. 

For any prescription drugs, your clinician will also provide detailed instructions. Following these instructions will help you get the best result out of the drug without running into the danger of experiencing unwanted side effects, such as headaches from overusing it.

This medication withdrawal symptoms are often treated with intravenous fluids and other drugs. This includes:

• Beta-blockers
  
• Clonidine
• Valproic acid
• NSAIDs, like naproxen
• Tizanidine (Zanaflex), often along with naproxen
• Dihydroergotamine
• Antinausea medications, like Zofran (ondansetron)
• Steroids, like Prednisone

How to prevent rebound or, medication-overuse headaches

Let us find out how we can prevent rebound headaches in the first place.

1. Take pain medications according to instructions

The first and most important step is to follow your doctor’s instructions while on headache medications. Whether you are buying over-the-counter medications or prescription drugs,  dosage and other directions should be followed to the letter.

2. Don’t take pain medications for longer periods than needed

When you suffer from headaches like tension-type headaches or migraine, ask yourself how long you can take the medications and when to stop.

If you are worried the pain might come back, share the concern with your doctor, instead of continuing the medication for longer periods than prescribed. 

3. Avoid caffeinated liquids and foods

 To get relief from Migraine, many take the medication Excedrin  Migraine. It is a common OTC that contains. When you take this medication, it is better to avoid extra caffeine from coffee, teas, and sodas. This can trigger rebound headaches — and regular headaches. 

These measures work especially for migraine. But in tension-type headaches, caffeine provides relief.  Medications like Fioricet are often used in the treatment of tension headaches or stress headaches. Fioricet is a combination of acetaminophen, butalbital, and Caffeine. Caffeine brings down swelling of blood vessels to reduce the pain.

The bottom line

Many kinds of headaches occur for different reasons. They all are equally painful and irritating experiences. When they keep happening for a long time, you should consult your healthcare providers. Follow the directions for taking the medications and maintain the instructions as closely as possible.

FAQ:

1. What does a rebound headache feel like?

A rebound headache feels like the common headaches that you experienced before. But these headaches happen almost every day and are pretty severe and can attack suddenly. Along with the pain, you might experience nausea and loss of sight.

2. How do you stop a rebound headache?

To stop rebound headaches, you need to stop taking the pain relievers immediately. For the time being, you will feel the headaches. However, after a while, they will stop. reduce and it is important to break the cycle of pain.

3. How long does a rebound headache last?

A rebound headache occurs frequently. It comes back pretty quickly once the effect of the pain reliever wears off. Usually rebound headaches stay 3 to 6 hours.

4. Why do rebound headaches occur?

Rebound headaches occur due to overuse of headache medications like:

• Opioids, such as oxycodone and tramadol
• Ergotamine tartrate
• Caffeine, both in medication and anything you eat and drink
• Aspirin
• Acetaminophen (Tylenol)
• Triptans, like sumatriptan, rizatriptan, and zolmitriptan
• Ibuprofen and Naproxen (NSAIDs)
• Nasal decongestants, like pseudoephedrine (Sudafed)