Three-quarters of adults in the world experience at least one headache every year. Headache disorders are one of the most common conditions to affect a person’s nervous system.
If you’re one of the many who suffer from frequent migraines, you know that finding relief can be a struggle. The number one treatment method is to take medicine and lay down in a dark room.
The question is, what’s the best medication for headaches? As you browse the medicine shelf at your local grocery store, you’ll have several options you can choose from. Check out this guide to learn about headaches.
Aspirin
Aspirin can provide a person with relief from headaches, menstrual cramps, fever, toothaches, and arthritis.
You can take this universal pain reliever in pill or suppository form. The general dosage is 2 tablets every 4-6 hours or one suppository every 4 hours.
If you’re pregnant, your doctor may prescribe low-dose aspirin to help you combat your pain symptoms. Kids under the age of 16 should avoid taking aspirin.
Acetaminophen
If you’re only suffering from mild headache pain, acetaminophen should be able to treat it. It’s also a good option for reducing fevers. It comes in a hard tablet, dissolvable, extended-release, capsule, and liquid form.
Adults should only take two 500mg acetaminophen tablets once a day for headaches. There are syrups, suppositories, and tablets available for children as well.
Acetaminophen can cause skin rashes, itching, facial swelling, and difficulty breathing. If you run into any complications while taking acetaminophen, talk to your doctor as soon as possible.
Ibruprofen
Ibuprofen is a good treatment option for tension headache relief. It also does a decent job of easing bone and joint pain.
The general dosage for ibuprofen is two 200mg tablets three times a day. If you’re suffering from severe headaches, your doctor may prescribe 800mg slow-release tablets.
Avoid taking ibuprofen if you’re pregnant. Children under the age of 3 months should not take this medication. If you’re using ibuprofen gel, avoid bringing it into contact with your mouth or eyes.
Naproxen Sodium
Naproxen sodium falls into the classification of NSAID. You can take this headache medication every 8 hours for pain. Do not give Naproxen to your child without consulting a doctor first.
Avoid Naproxen if you’re breastfeeding, pregnant, or trying to become pregnant. Common side effects of this drug include confusion, a worsening headache, drowsiness, rashes, ear ringing, and changes in vision.
If any of these side effects don’t go away or become more intense, talk to your regular healthcare physician. You can go here for more info on headaches.
Choosing The Right Medication For Headaches
Nothing can put a stop to your day quite like a migraine. The only thing you can do when you feel one coming on is to take medicine and lay in a dark room.
As you can see, choosing a medication for headaches can be complicated because there are so many. Try out one of the options on this list, and if your headache symptoms continue or worsen, talk to your doctor.
For more ways to get relief from your everyday aches and pains, visit the Health section of our blog.
