Q. I have frequent if not constant headaches, possibly rebound headaches. I am now avoiding chocolate, cheeses and cold cuts. I drink lots of herbal teas and very little alcohol.
I am sick of waking up at night with a splitting headache. I have to free myself somehow from headache medications (Excedrin and another with codeine). I need help!
A. Frequent use of headache medications (more often than twice a week) can indeed lead to rebound headaches that can be very difficult to overcome. It might require medical assistance to break free of using the medications that may now be contributing to the problem of these repeat headaches.
We are sending you our Guide to Headaches & Migraines with information on rebound headaches and a wide range of nondrug approaches for treating head pain as well as pros and cons of medicines. You might also be interested in our discussion with headache expert Joel Saper, MD, FACP, FAAN, director of the Michigan Head-Pain and Neurological Institute on how he treats such rebound headaches.
Other readers have found remedies that help them cope with rebound headaches, ranging from drinking black tea in the afternoon to regular use of a neti pot to clean the sinuses. If chocolate, cheese or cold cuts cause you headaches, by all means avoid them. But do keep a diary to figure out if it is necessary. Although chocolate has a reputation for causing migraines, it is not always deserved.
