Tension Headache, Fioricet and Butalbital

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Title: Tension Headache, Fioricet and Butalbital

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Tension Headache, Fioricet and Butalbital

Copyright 2005 Altfeder

At our online pharmacy and many others, the most frequently

prescribed medication is butalbital, the generic form of

Fioricet. Patients are prescribed this medication for

relief of tension headache. This article summarizes tension

headache as well as butalbital to help patients make

informed choices about their treatment.

Tension headache, also called “muscle contraction headache”

or “stress headache” is a condition involving pain in the

head, neck or scalp. It is typically a dull, achy feeling

on both sides of the head, often associated with tightness

of the muscles in the affected area. Tension headaches

usually start in the middle of the day, typically building

slowly and gradually. They can become quite severe, even

more painful than a migraine headache. The pain may be

worsened by noise or glare.

Tension headache is often the result of stress, anxiety or

depression. It can also result from holding the head in a

constant or awkward position for long times, for example

when using a computer, typing or performing fine work using

the hands. Other contributing factors may include

excessive alcohol consumption, eyestrain, fatigue, excess

caffeine, sinus infection and the flu.

Tension headache can be extremely uncomfortable and

annoying, but is not dangerous. It is important to

differentiate between tension headache and other conditions

which result in head pain, however. If the pain is

associated with vision changes, dizziness, nausea,

vomiting, drowsiness, seizures or it does not respond to

treatment, a physician should be consulted immediately.

While the mechanism behind tension headaches is not

completely understood, there are a variety of treatments

available with varying efficacy for patients. These include

relaxation exercises, meditation, hot showers, biofeedback,

a hot or cold pack placed on the point of pain, exercise

and over the counter medication. Given the escalating

nature of the headache, it is advisable to treat the pain

as early as possible and prevent the pain from increasing

in severity. For many patients, there is simply no

substitute for Fioricet or butalbital. This medication is a

combination of three ingredients (50 mg butalbital, 325 mg

acetaminophen and 40 mg caffeine). For some reason, this

combination of ingredients in this ratio of quantities is

particularly effective in treating tension headache.

Butalbital is a barbiturate. It is responsible for relaxing

the skeletal muscles in the head, neck and scalp.

Acetaminophen is an analgesic (pain reliever) and

antipyretic (fever reducer). Tylenol is acetaminophen.

Caffeine is a central nervous stimulant found naturally in

coffee. All the ingredients in Butalbital (Fioricet) are

absorbed quickly. They are eliminated from the body in a

variety of ways involving the liver and kidneys. It is

interesting to note that while the caffeine and

acetaminophen are eliminated from the body rather quickly

(half of the drug is eliminated from the body in 3 hours),

the butalbital component remains in the body much longer

(half of the drug is eliminated in 35 hours).

While Fioricet and butalbital are safe medications, it is

helpful to understand the precautions advised by the drug

manufacturers when taking this medication. If you have a

hypersensitivity to any of the components in butalbital,

obviously you should consult a physician before taking the

medication. Since the medication is cleared from the body

by the kidneys and liver, any patient with impared liver or

kidney function should consult a physician. The package

insert for Fioricet also mentions that patients with

porphyria should exercise the same caution, as should

patients taking monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitors.

Fioricet and butalbital have other warnings as well. The

medication can give patients a feeling of intoxication and

euphoria, and may be habit forming.

Butalbital is a central nervous system depressant. This

attribute accounts for the relaxation of skeletal muscle

associated with tension headache, but it also carries the

same risk as other CNS depressants. You should avoid

driving or operating machinery when using this medication,

as it can impair your mental and/or physical abilities.

Alcohol can greatly strengthen the CNS depressant

capability of the medication- avoid combining alcohol and

butalbital.

Adverse reactions to butalbital and Fioricet include:

drowsiness, dizziness, lightheadedness, sedation, shortness

of breath, nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. As with any

medication, there have been a wide range of other rare

adverse reactions reported.

In conclusion, Fioricet and butalbital are safe medications

which are effective treatment for tension headaches. An

educated patient is a safe patient, so it is important to

understand the information in this article. If you do not

understand the information in this article, or if you fall

into any of the advisory categories, it is best to consult

a physician before beginning treatment.

About the Author:

Altfeder is the owner of

http://www.deepdiscountpharmacy.net and

http://www.buybutalbital.net . He is the author of a series

of articles on health, pharmacology and medicine.