Headache
What can be done to prevent the condition?
Many causes of headaches are not preventable. An individual may develop
headaches after exposure to alcohol,
caffeine, chocolate, or stress. Avoiding those triggers can help
prevent headaches.
Medications that can help prevent migraine headaches include:
beta-blockers, such as propranolol, and nadolol
calcium channel blockers, such as verapamil
tricyclic antidepressants, such as amitriptyline, and nortriptyline
cyproheptadine
anticonvulsants, such as valproic
acid and gabapentin
lithium
methysergide maleate
What are the long-term effects of the condition?
Most people do not have any significant long-term effects because their
headaches are benign and recur infrequently. However, vascular headaches
can result in significant loss of quality of life. An individual with a brain
tumor, bleeding, or meningitis
is at risk for severe illness and death.
What are the risks to others?
Headaches are not contagious and pose no risk to others. If the underlying
cause of the headache is an infection such as
meningitis, the infection may be highly contagious. Some headaches,
such as migraines, tend to run in
families.
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