December 6, 2008
By Linda Dums
For The Post-Crescent
When a headache hits, it’s easy to reach into the medicine cabinet for a pill.
But if the occurrences are frequent, sufferers may be experiencing headaches from medication overuse and should see a doctor.
“In the long run it’s the right thing to do because suffering headaches you really can’t work at your quality and maintain a healthy life,” said Orly Avitzur, Consumers Union medical adviser in Younkers, N.Y.
According to the International Headache Society, medication-overuse headaches are those that are present for at least 15 days a month or have developed or markedly worsened because the sufferer used too much medication.
There are two main causes of frequent headaches — a history of migraines and medication-overuse. More…