| Headaches have many causes. Some triggers are | | | | quantities or over a long period. And consider this: |
| easier to pinpoint and reduce or eliminate than | | | | - Aspirin has long been linked to gastrointestinal |
| others. If you're among the unfortunate bunch | | | | bleeding. In addition, it can decrease the blood's |
| whose headaches are less cooperative or harder | | | | ability to clot properly. Patients who have bleeding |
| to trace, there are still plenty of natural | | | | problems or who take certain prescription drugs |
| treatments that can give you relief. | | | | are especially at risk of this side effect. |
| But perhaps you're thinking, Why not just take | | | | - Ibuprofen can contribute to liver and/or kidney |
| that pill? It's a quick way to do away with the | | | | impairment and, in women, increased |
| pain, and it's right here. I don't even need an | | | | hypertension. |
| appointment or prescription. Why spend all this | | | | - Acetominophen in high or frequent doses can |
| time changing my environment and even keeping | | | | cause serious liver damage. There's no question, |
| a headache journal? What's the big deal? | | | | these drugs are wonderful when used only as |
| For someone who rarely suffers a headache, | | | | necessary to treat serious or debilitating |
| maybe it isn't a big deal to just take an aspirin and | | | | conditions. But when what you're relieving is a |
| a nap. But what I hear from a lot of patients tells | | | | headache that could be caused by something as |
| me that's not the case. For many people, | | | | simple as a reaction to your new perfume, is it |
| headaches are not a once-in-a-while annoyance | | | | really worth it to take the risk? I think not. |
| but a frequent, regular pain (pardon the | | | | Headaches are painful, and when they're intense |
| expression). For these sufferers, in reality, "just" | | | | or frequent, they can put a damper on |
| take a pill would add up to dozens of pills each | | | | productivity and happiness. No doubt, this isn't |
| week! | | | | easy to handle. But you can do it, and most likely |
| On top of that, many headache sufferers find | | | | you can do it without drugs. |
| that common drugs such as aspirin and ibuprofen | | | | Make a conscious decision now to discover the |
| lose their effectiveness when used | | | | cause and prevent that headache from happening. |
| repeatedly--which means they have to take more | | | | And then commit to learning about the many |
| and more to get the pain under control. Even | | | | alternatives to self-medicating. |
| "safe" drugs are anything but when used in large | | | | |