Headache that does not improve with home treatment or medication

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Headache that does not improve with home treatment or medication

Most headaches go away within 12 hours with home treatment and the use of nonprescription medications, such as acetaminophen, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, or aspirin.

Other headaches may require prescription medication for pain relief. If your health professional has prescribed a medication for your headache, be sure to follow his or her instructions for using the medication.

Rebound headache is a type of chronic headache that can result from overuse of pain medications. This is often a problem for people who have frequent, severe headaches. A pain medication may work for a limited period of time, but as the effect wears off, the headache returns, often worse than it was before. The person then takes more pain medication, the effects again wear off, and the headache returns (rebound headache).

A headache that is not relieved by prescription medication may indicate a more serious problem. Be sure to discuss this with your health professional.

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Author	Jan Nissl, RN, BS
Editor	Susan Van Houten, RN, BSN, MBA
Associate Editor	Tracy Landauer
Primary Medical Reviewer	William M. Green, MD - Emergency Medicine
Specialist Medical Reviewer	H. Michael O'Connor, MD - Emergency Medicine
Last Updated	July 9, 2008

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Last updated:	July 09, 2008
Author:	Jan Nissl, RN, BS
Reviewed By:	William M. Green, MD - Emergency Medicine, H. Michael O'Connor, MD - Emergency Medicine
Editors:	Susan Van Houten, RN, BSN, MBA, Tracy Landauer

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