There are fascinating similarities and differences between aspirin and acetaminophen. Sometimes referred to by the alternate name, paracetamol, it is, like aspirin, an analgesic (pain reliever). Also like aspirin it has been used to treat headaches since the late 19th century. Yet there are interesting differences as well. Aspirin works by interfering with the action [...]

Aspirin, in some form, has been used as a treatment for over 2,500 years. The famed Greek physician, Hippocrates in the 5th century B.C. used an extract from the bark of the willow tree to treat fever. The chemical involved, salacin, is a natural product that is converted into salicylic acid in the body. At [...]

Regrettably, there’s no ‘one-size-fits-all’ answer to the question: Which is the better medication, Brand Name or Generic? Which you choose will depend on a number of individual circumstances, along with real differences between the two. In the U.S. and many other countries, the development of medications – even simple ones, such as aspirin, acetaminophen or [...]

Though relatively rare, cluster headaches are regarded as among the most painful conditions known. Though migraines affect about 10% of the population, less than 1/3 of one percent have experienced a cluster headache. The vast majority are fortunate not to have. Many anecdotal reports say cluster headaches are worse than migraines or even child birth. [...]

Given the variety of headaches, and headache sufferers, it shouldn’t be surprising that the causes are equally diverse. There are literally hundreds of possible causes for headaches. Some are the result of underlying medical problems, such as (in rare cases) brain tumors or cerebral aneurysms. But the most common headaches have common causes. In many [...]

The causes of headaches aren’t known with certainty in any case. But given that migraines and tension headaches – by far the most common types – occur much more frequently in women, it’s reasonable to suppose that hormones play a role. Those hormones are undergoing rapid change in a pregnant woman so it shouldn’t be [...]

Ibuprofen is in a class of drugs called NSAIDs (Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs). The acronym gives one a clue about how they work. Ibuprofen, like aspirin, reduces inflammation. The expansion and irritation of tissue generates nerve signals that we perceive as pain. Reducing the inflammation reduces the pain. Also like aspirin, ibuprofen is used to treat [...]

The old saying ‘an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure’ is well understood by those who suffer from severe headaches. It’s preferable not to get one in the first place. That’s particularly true of migraine sufferers. The pulsating, intense pain can produce unpleasant effects that actually outlast the migraine episode. To attack [...]

The variety of symptoms from headaches is considerable, and vary with different types. Possibly the most common is the tension headache, usually the result of muscle tension in the neck and shoulders, or around the face. Migraines, affecting about 6-13% of the population (roughly 6% are men, 13% are women), is much higher in intensity [...]

Despite how common they are, headaches are somewhat mysterious. Unlike, say, diabetes it isn’t know exactly what produces that particular kind of pain. Making the condition even more strange, there are in fact many different types of headaches. Migraines afflict about 28 million Americans, in a ratio of about three to one women to men. [...]