Cafergot is a medication used to treat vascular migraine headaches, which are caused by dilated cerebral blood vessels. Cafergot is a combination of ergotamine tartrate and caffeine. Both agents cause constriction (narrowing) of blood vessels in...
A spinal headache, or postdural puncture headache, is a common side effect experienced after an attempted epidural injection. It occurs when the dura, or the tissue surrounding the spinal cord, is punctured and cerebral spinal fluid leaks into the...
Response to headache medicines can vary between individuals, and many different pain medicines are available to treat headaches, including combination products with caffeine. These medicines should be used cautiously as they may cause health...
Migraine headaches fall into distinct categories. Defining which type you have determines the treatment course. "Abortive" therapy gets rid of headaches after they start. These treatments differ from "preventive" or "prophylactic" measures, which...
According to the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey III, use of pain killers is very high in the U.S. Approximately 147 million adults take analgesics on a monthly basis and, of these, 30 percent take more than one analgesic. As...
According to the Mayo Clinic, a migraine is a chronic headache in which you experience mild to severe head pain. Typically, migraines are preceded with auras which are warning signs. For example, you may develop blind spots or flashes of light in...
Caffeine is a naturally occurring compound that stimulates the human central nervous system and increases the body's metabolic rate. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration categorizes caffeine as both a drug and a food additive. Caffeine has been...
Migraine headaches affect more than 25.9 million Americans, most often women, according to the National Headache Foundation. Treatment for these debilitating headaches ranges from prescription pain relievers and prevention medications to herbal...
Light eye sensitivity, also known as photophobia, is a condition in which the eyes become extremely uncomfortable to the presence of light. MedlinePlus says light sensitivity is common and may be a sign of certain underlying medical conditions....
Doctors prescribe gabapentin to help control certain types of seizures in patients with epilepsy. The medication may also relieve pain from diabetic neuropathy or shingles, treat the discomfort in restless legs syndrome and treat or prevent hot...
Migraines are very severe headaches that lead to nausea, vomiting, and sensitivity to light and sound as well as incapacitating pain. Although doctors do not understand what causes migraines, the changes in blood vessels in the face and skull are...
Migraine headaches are more than just simple headaches. They can cause vomiting and nausea and make it difficult to even open your eyes to light or hear any noise at all. Migraines are common, striking as many as 11 out of every 100 people, says...
Cafergot is a prescription medication indicated to alleviate head discomfort associated with certain types of vascular headaches, such as tension headaches and migraines. This medication contains two active ingredients: caffeine, a central nervous...
A migraine headache is pretty easy to spot--think of the worst headache you have ever had in your life. Often, it starts with what is known as an "aura," or a strange light surrounding everything you see--lights that flash, strange lines of light...
Painful headaches affect your child's ability to participate in school, sports or other activities. Although tension headaches are the most common type of headaches in adolescents, according to the Cleveland Clinic, children and teens may also...
Not everyone suffers from continuous headaches, but those who do often wonder why. Twenty-eight million people in the United States suffer from various forms of headaches, according to St. John Providence Chronic Headache and Migraine Institute....
Chest pains may occur in some people after drinking caffeine. Caffeine is a stimulant drug that affects the central nervous system and helps you feel more awake. Chest pain from caffeine consumption is the result of inflammation and tightness in...
Approximately .4 percent of Americans have cluster headaches---mainly men. The headaches start when they are anywhere from 20 to 40 years old, according to Stephen Silberstein, M.D., professor of neurology at Thomas Jefferson University, in "The...