Analgesic-induced chronic headache
Le Jeunne, C.
Annales de Medecine Interne 152(Suppl 3): Is50-Is53
2001
ISSN/ISBN: 0003-410X PMID: 11435995 Document Number: 530456
Analgesic-induced chronic headaches are the outcome of an overtreatment of migraine or tension type headaches. Progressively, the usual headache changes and becomes a chronic daily headache occurring in the morning when waking up, relieved 1 hour after intake of the concerned analgesic. If drug intake is delayed, the daily headache disappears after 4 weeks following a period of worsening. This withdrawal therapy is often conducted during a 2-week hospitalization. Drugs mainly implicated in this type of dependence are: caffeine, ergotamine, simple analgesics, and triptans which are becoming more and more involved. The best treatment is prevention. When first seen, patients must be warned of the risk of chronic use of analgesics.