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Treatments for Headache

by Cynthia M. Johnson, MA

En Español (Spanish Version)

Treatment

Talking to Your Doctor

Living With Headache

Resource Guide

Treatment aims to reduce the frequency of headaches and ease the pain.

Headaches are treated with lifestyle changes and medicine. People with cluster or chronic sinus headaches may need surgery.

Headaches may be treated with:

Lifestyle changes

Medications

Surgery

Alternative and complementary treatments

Other

REFERENCES:

Cluster headache. EBSCO DynaMed Plus website. Available at:http://www.dynamed.com/topics/dmp~AN~T116292/Cluster-headache. Updated February 16, 2016. Accessed January 11, 2019.

Headache Classification Committee of the International Headache Society (IHS) The International Classification of Headache Disorders, 3rd edition. Cephalalgia. 2018 Jan;38(1):1-211.

Headache—frequently asked questions. National Headache Foundation website. Available at: https://headaches.org/about/frequently-asked-questions/. Accessed January 11, 2019.

Headaches, rebound. EBSCO Nursing Reference Center website. Available at:https://www.ebscohost.com/nursing/products/nursing-reference-center. Updated March 2, 2018. Accessed January 11, 2019.

Migraine in adults. EBSCO DynaMed Plus website. Available at:http://www.dynamed.com/topics/dmp~AN~T114718/Migraine-in-adults. Updated November 8, 2018. Accessed January 11, 2019.

NINDS headache information page. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke website. Available at: https://www.ninds.nih.gov/Disorders/All-Disorders/Headache-Information-Page. Accessed January 11, 2019.

Tension-type headache. EBSCO DynaMed website. Available at:http://www.dynamed.com/topics/dmp~AN~T114522/Tension-type-headache. Updated February 8, 2017. Accessed January 11, 2019.

Last reviewed December 2018 by EBSCO Medical Review Board Rimas Lukas, MD Last Updated: 1/11/2019

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