Prophylaxis and therapy of drug induced headache - Guidelines of the German Migraine- and Headache Society

A relatively large number of headache patients (in specialised practices an d clinics about 5-10% of all headache patients) develop a socalled drug ind uced persistant headache following the too frequent intake of analgesic and /or antimigraine drugs. This is usually a dullpressing persistant headache. The only reasonable treatment is to carry out a detoxification which is co mpleted after 10-14 days. This can be done on an outpatient or inpatient ba sis in specialist practices and clinics. In order to avoid a drug induced h eadache headache patients should take headache or antimigraine drugs on a m aximum of 10 days/month and at the most on 3 successive days. More attentio n should be paid to the prevention and treatment of the drug induced headac he in medical practice.