Avoiding Rebound Headaches
Overuse of some acute migraine medications can result in more frequent, and sometimes more intense, headache episodes. This phenomenon is known as a rebound, or medication overuse, headache. Rebound headaches may turn into a chronic daily headache that is similar in nature to a tension-type headache, or they may be migraine headaches that occur with increased frequency.
All classes of acute migraine medications have the potential to cause rebound headache when used more than two or three times a week. Unfortunately, this perpetuates a vicious cycle — you take more medication to treat the ensuing headache.
It can be difficult to recognize a headache caused by medication overuse, particularly if you have always experienced frequent migraine attacks. Although any new patterns or symptoms of head pain should be evaluated by your health care provider, the following signs may be a red flag that you are experiencing rebound headaches:
Your headaches have increased in frequency to daily or almost daily.
You are taking more headache medication more frequently, and it's less effective in relieving your head pain.
Your headaches have changed in nature or severity (e.g., your head pain is a constant dull ache instead of a throb; your head pain is occurring in different places).
Your head pain returns several hours after taking a dose of medication.
Once a rebound headache develops, the best way to treat it is to stop taking the medication that triggered it. Your doctor may recommend that you taper off the medication, or use a different drug type. Always consult with your health care provider before stopping a drug abruptly. It can take anywhere from a week to several months to completely break the rebound cycle, and your head pain may worsen before it improves. If you have become dependant on an opioid pain reliever, you may experience uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms. In some cases, your health care provider may recommend supervised drug withdrawal in a hospital setting. In most cases of simple nonopioid analgesic overuse, you can handle rebound treatment on your own with rest, relaxation, and cold compresses.
