Medication overuse headache....

...is the headache as a result of taking the wrong medication.

In Germany, people use 3.3 billion pain pills every year. Not a lot of people know this – but headache medicines don’t cure a headache. They only relieve the pain for a short time. Another thing that might surprise you: Unwise use of headache pain relief can cause its own kind of headache: medication overuse headache.

When medication overuse headache kicks in, people try treating it with even more pain medications and risk getting caught in an endless cycle of worsening pain and increasing use of medication.

Where should I start?

To prevent medication overuse headache, stick to the ‘10-20 rule’:

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Do not use headache medications or special migraine drugs on more than 10 days per month.

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At least 20 days every month should be drug-free.

  • Keep a record of your medication use

    Keep a record of your medication use

    Keep track of your medication by making a note every time you use headache medicines. Record your medication use in a calendar or use the medication counter in the Prevent-headache.org app.

  • Consult a physician

    Consult a physician

    If you are already experiencing medication overuse headache, contact a doctor immediately.

Discover your headache type

Migraine, tension-type headache and medication overuse headache are by far the most common types of headache. Take the Quick Headache Quiz to discover if your headache is one of those three types.

TAKE THE QUIZ

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