Avoiding triggers and taking the appropriate medicine can help manage headache symptoms in many people.

Pain medications only relieve headache symptoms for a short period of time. After a while, they do not work as well or the help they provide does not last as long. Regular, overuse of pain medications can lead to rebound headaches. Typically this occurs in people who take pain medications 3 or more times a week on a regular basis.

It's important to see a doctor if you have chronic headaches. In some cases, the headache may be a symptom of a more serious disorder.

It is important to have a full medical and neurological exam if you suddenly have regular or severe headaches.

Call 911 or your local emergency number if:

• You are experiencing "the worst headache of your life"
• You have speech, vision, or movement problems or loss of balance, especially if you have not had these symptoms with a headache before
• Your headaches are more severe when lying down
• The headache starts very suddenly

Also, call your doctor if:

• Your headache patterns or pain change
• Treatments that once worked are no longer helpful
• You have side effects from medication, including irregular heartbeat, pale or blue skin, extreme sleepiness, persistent cough, depression, fatigue, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, stomach pain, cramps, dry mouth, or extreme thirst
• You are pregnant or could become pregnant -- some medications should not be taken when pregnant

See the general headache article for more information on emergency symptoms.

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Review Date: 11/22/2010
Reviewed By: Kevin Sheth, MD, Department of Neurology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org)