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Headache pain relief medication - brand name or generic?

August 9th, 2007    Subscribe To Our Feed

These days, you’ve got a choice when it comes to headache pain relief - more generic brands are available now, and are often cheaper.

Brand name medications, even simple ones, such as aspirin, acetaminophen or ibuprofen - takes many years and billions of invested dollars. Complicating the situation is the often incompetent and illogical way the FDA approves research and marketing, before the drugs can even be brought to the consumer.

But after all the expense and complexity, drugs do often find their way onto the shelves. Because of patent and trademarks laws, those pharmaceutical companies that developed the drug have the right to exclusive sale of the product they worked to produce. But only for a certain length of time.

The period varies, but eventually the active ingredients in brand name drugs become legally available for other companies to manufacture and sell. In the case of aspirin, for example, Bayer - the German company - lost exclusivity, of both the compound and the name, as a result of Germany’s loss of WWI. Acetylsalicylic, in the form they developed, then became available for others to make and sell.

Once that happens, so-called generic drugs come onto the market. In the vast majority of cases, these drugs are as good (or nearly so) as their competitors. Since those companies didn’t bear the time and expense to develop and build a market for them, they can sell them much more cheaply. Those are the major reasons generics are much less expensive.

But even within that framework, it’s not always the case that generic and brand name drugs are identical. Even though the patent may have expired, the law requires that generic drug manufacturers make some changes to the product beyond the name. They are not allowed to sell the identical material under an alternate name.

Most accommodate this requirement by modifying the inactive ingredients. In most cases, that’s a perfectly safe course of action. But, individuals differ in their sensitivity and what’s a completely inactive ingredient for some may have some effect on others. It may be something as minor as the odor or taste. In other cases, the effect may be more profound.

Altering the level of calcium in a Bufferin-like medication (composed of aspirin and buffered with calcium carbonate) can make a difference for some people. Patients taking the anti-depressant Zoloft, for example, have reported some differences in effect between it and a generic substitute. Anti-depressants are also sometimes used to treat some forms of headache.

Though quality standards and active ingredients are required by law to be the same for any manufacturer, large pharmaceutical companies are more than just efficient marketing organizations. They also have enormous resources to devote to creating and monitoring their manufacturing processes.

In some cases, this can make a difference between their product and that of a generic. This is especially true since some have components now being made in China and elsewhere, where proper practices may not be as stringently followed.

As with anything, there are risks and trade-offs. Each individual will have to explore his or her options independently and arrive at a decision.

Migraine Headache Triggers: What’s starting your migraines?

June 22nd, 2007    Subscribe To Our Feed

In America alone, over twenty-eight million people suffer from migraine headaches.  Migraine headaches are more common in women; for every one man who suffers from a migraine headache, there are three women. 

If you’ve ever suffered from a migraine, you know how disabling they are: it’s impossible to move, even to open your eyes - you just pray for the pain to stop. Migraines and migraine headache triggers have become somewhat easier to manage than they used to be. 

Migraines are triggered. Once you know what causes your migraines, you may not always be able to prevent an attack, but sometimes you can.

What Are the Most Common Migraine Headache Triggers?

Of all the migraine headache triggers, the most common one is stress.  Another common trigger of migraines is certain foods, such as alcohol, aged cheeses, chocolate, aspartame, caffeine, msg, seasonings, and some canned or processed foods.  Migraines can also be caused by fasting or skipping meals.

Physical factors such as increased sexual activity, intense exercise, or a change in sleep patterns are also migraine headache triggers.  Changes in the environment and certain medications often act as triggers of migraine headaches, as do sun glare and bright lights.  Hormonal changes can also cause migraines, and this may be why a significantly greater number of women than men are affected by migraines.  Some women experience migraines during pregnancy or menopause. 

Are You at Risk?

There are several risk factors that make someone more prone to migraine headaches.  Migraine headaches most commonly occur in girls that have already passed through puberty.  Women who experience migraines find that their likelihood of experiencing one increases during menstruation, pregnancy, or menopause.  Migraine headaches also run in families; if even one of your parents’ experiences migraines then you are much more likely to develop them yourself.

Treating Migraine Headaches

Although previously, the only way to treat migraine headaches was to take aspirin, this is no longer the case.  Now, there are both preventative medications and pain-relieving medications that are intended specifically for migraine treatment.  There are also other alternative treatments, such as acupuncture, massage, vitamins, herbs, minerals, and biofeedback.  Migraine headaches can be prevented by maintaining a healthy, balanced lifestyle.

Migraines do seem to hit people at certain stages in their life. As you get older, you may find that you get migraines much less often.

Better Pain Relief: how can you manage pain?

March 23rd, 2007    Subscribe To Our Feed

Pain is something that can change ones entire life, and it can actually take over their life. Everyone has dealt with pain at some time or another. Most people experience the type of pain that goes away very quickly. Pain can be caused by simply bumping a shin on something hard or stubbing a toe. Pain relief in cases like this is simple - the pain goes away of its own accord.

There are all kinds of things that cause pain. Pain comes from the brain telling the body that something isn’t right. Pain tells us, “don’t do that again. It hurt!” When the body is feeling pain that may last longer it can affect performance at work or school. If pain will play into the day then pain relief may be sought out. Depending on the severity of pain, there are many over the counter pills that may provide pain relief. Make sure that the person with pain talks to a doctor before taking anything. Sometimes there are prescriptions that can interact with over the counter pain relief medicines. It isn’t worth the risk to stop the pain and have another more serious complication. Most people don’t even take the time to consider any ramifications of mixing medicines. People just grab something and take it and the pain goes away.

Pain Relief Help

There are many pills that deal with pain relief. There are also different approaches to fighting pain. Depending on where the pain is on the body, sometimes walking can help take away pain quickly. This works because the brain is on to something new and the pain starts to go away. If pain comes because of something a person does, the obvious answer is to not do what is hurting. If it is work related, then go to see a doctor and tell them what problem or pain one is experiencing. Something else that can aid in pain relief is to sit in a spa or Jacuzzi. The water aids in pressure relief while the heat works into the muscles and joints.

However, if the pain one is experiencing is from bruising or infection, hot water will probably not help and can cause the symptoms to get worse. If the pain comes from a broken leg or arm, check with the doctor first because the staples or stitches can pull loose and the wound area can open up. When the doctor finally says yes to a hot tub, it can be very soothing while in the water, but often the pain returns when the soak is done. Medication combined with other measures will most often offer the best pain relief. Most important is to seek the advice of a physician.

In conclusion, the kind of pain relief you need depends on the situation. In an acure pain situation, such as when you’ve had surgery, your doctor will provide temporary medication to help you over the worst of the pain.

For chronic pain, you may want to investigate solutions which don’t involve longterm medication, because this can lead to complications.

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