List of 15 Best Medicines for Headache – Composition, Dosage, Popularity & More
A person with a headache has discomfort or pain beneath the scalp or forehead, behind the eyes, or arising from the head or upper neck. While headaches may occur occasionally or frequently, they are still the most common nervous system disorder, afflicting half of the adult population at least once a year, according to the World Health Organization.
The most common cause of headaches is muscle tension. Other common causes of headaches include fever, head injury, viral infections, sinusitis, and migraines. Headaches can be the body’s reaction to emotional stress, grief, too much or too little sleep, or depression. Some people get a headache after physical exertion, crying, eye strain, or sex.
Headaches can range from annoying to extremely painful. People may experience throbbing, squeezing, or constant or intermittent pain in the back of the head and upper neck or behind the eyes. Some people feel tightness or pressure at the temples.
Some headaches are excruciating. They feel like a poke in the eye, a stabbing in the brain, or a band of pressure around the head. Severe head pain can cause nausea and vomiting.
A headache commonly occurs alone but may coexist with other symptoms. Associated symptoms can be important clues for identifying the underlying cause of a headache.
Symptoms that may occur with headaches include blurry vision, confusion, difficulty walking or speaking, excessive sleepiness, nausea, vomiting, fever, neck pain, neck stiffness, and increased sensitivity to light or noise.
General treatment for a minor headache includes rest, stress reduction, cold compresses, massage to the temples and head area, acetaminophen (Tylenol), and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDs).
Medications for migraine and headache relief can be divided into two groups: pain-relieving (also known as abortive medications) and preventive (prophylactic medications).
Pain-relieving medications are taken once symptoms begin. Preventive medications are taken regularly, sometimes daily, to stop headaches before they start. Headache relief medications are available over-the-counter or by prescription.
Top 15 Medicines for Headache in India (Tablets, Syrups, Ointment & More)
1) Fioricet: Cures headache
- Brand name – Fioricet
- Composition – Acetaminophen, Caffeine and Butalbital
- Popularity level – 6
This combination medication is used to treat tension headaches. Acetaminophen helps to decrease the pain from the headache. Caffeine helps increase the effects of acetaminophen. Butalbital is a sedative that helps to decrease anxiety and cause sleepiness and relaxation.
- Dosage: Take this medication by mouth with or without food as directed by your doctor, usually every 4 hours as needed.
- Price: The cost for Fioricet oral capsule (300 mg-50 mg-40 mg) is around $439 for a supply of 100 capsules.
2) Ibuprofen: Cures headache due to migraine
- Brand name – Brufen 400 mg
- Composition – Ibuprofen
- Popularity level – 8
Ibuprofen is a non steroidal anti inflammatory drug. It is more effective in headache due to migraine. Long term treatment with this drug is not recommended.
- Dosage: 400-800mg, 8 hourly as per need.
- Price: A pack of 15 tablets cost ₹10.
3) Naproxen: Cures headache
- Brand name – Naprosyn 500mg
- Composition – Naproxen
- Popularity level – 7
This is a non steroidal anti inflammatory drug which helps to reduce the severity of headache if taken in the earlier stage.
- Dosage: 500mg followed by 250 mg, 8 hourly as per need.
- Price: A pack of 15 tablets cost ₹50.
4) Fioricet with codeine: Cures tension headache
- Brand name – Fioricet with codeine
- Composition – Codeine, Acetaminophen, Caffeine and Butalbital
- Popularity level – 8
This combination medication is used to treat tension headaches. Codeine is an opioid (narcotic) pain reliever that acts on certain centers in the brain to give you pain relief. Acetaminophen helps to decrease the pain from the headache. Caffeine helps increase the effects of acetaminophen. Butalbital is a sedative which helps to decrease anxiety and cause sleepiness and relaxation.
- Dosage: Take this medication by mouth with or without food, usually every 4 hours as needed or as directed by your doctor. Do not take more than 6 capsules in a 24-hour period. If you have nausea, you may take this medication with food. Ask your doctor or pharmacist about other ways to decrease nausea (such as lying down for 1-2 hours with as little head movement as possible).
- Price: A pack of 30 capsules cost $46.
5) Bupap: Cures tension headache
- Brand name – Bupap
- Composition – Acetaminophen and Butalbital
- Popularity level – 5
This combination medication is used to treat tension headaches. Acetaminophen helps to decrease the pain from the headache. Butalbital is a sedative that helps to decrease anxiety and cause sleepiness and relaxation.
- Dosage: Take this medication by mouth with or without food, usually every 4 hours as needed or as directed by your doctor. Do not take more than 300 milligrams of butalbital in a 24-hour period.
- Price: The dosage is based on your medical condition and response to therapy.
6) Trazodone: Cures headache due to depression and stress
- Brand name – Trazodone
- Composition – Phenylpiperazine
- Popularity level – 6
This medication is used to treat depression. It may help to improve your mood, appetite, and energy level as well as decrease anxiety and insomnia related to depression. Trazodone works by helping to restore the balance of a certain natural chemical (serotonin) in the brain.
Dose : Take this medication by mouth, usually once or twice daily after a meal or snack or as directed by your doctor. If drowsiness is a problem and you are taking 1 dose daily, take it at bedtime. If you are taking 2 doses each day, it may help to take 1 of the doses at bedtime. Follow your doctor’s directions carefully.
- Dosage: It is based on your medical condition and response to treatment.
- Price: Each tablet costs $11.41
7) Percogesic: Cures headache
- Brand name – Percogesic
- Composition – Acetaminophen and Phenyltoloxamine
- Popularity level – 8
This combination product contains 2 medications, acetaminophen and an antihistamine. Acetaminophen helps to reduce fever and/or mild to moderate pain (such as headache, backache, aches/pains due to muscle strain, cold, or flu). The antihistamine in this product may cause drowsiness, and therefore it can also be used as a nighttime sleep aid.
- Dosage: Take this medication by mouth with or without food or as directed by your doctor. If stomach upset occurs, you may take this medication with food or milk.
- Price: A pack of 60 capsules cost $10.
8) Tylenol PM: Cures headache
- Brand name – Tylenol PM
- Composition – Acetaminophen abe Diphenylhydramine
- Popularity level – 9
This combination product contains 2 medications, acetaminophen and an antihistamine. Acetaminophen helps to reduce fever and/or mild to moderate pain (such as headache, backache, aches/pains due to muscle strain, cold, or flu). The antihistamine in this product may cause drowsiness, and therefore it can also be used as a nighttime sleep aid.
- Dosage: Take this medication by mouth with or without food or as directed by your doctor. If stomach upset occurs, you may take this medication with food or milk.
- Price: A pack of 100 capsules cost $13.
9) Lidocaine: Cures cluster headache
- Brand name – Nasal Lidocaine
- Composition – Lidocaine
- Popularity level – 5
Lidocaine is an anesthetic agent, usually injected to produce numbness in a small area of skin. Lidocaine 4% aqueous solution can be applied intranasally for the treatment of headaches such as migraine and cluster headaches. It is available only by prescription. When it is used in cluster headaches, a pre-dosing spray of neo-synephrine 0.5% may be needed to alleviate some of the nasal congestion which may accompany cluster headaches.
The supposed mechanism by which lidocaine works in clusters and migraines is by numbing the portion of the trigeminal nerve known as the sphenopalatine ganglion. The onset of pain relief is rapid and may occur within minutes after administration. The duration of the pain relief is brief, often recurring within the hour; however, this is not usually a problem for patients with cluster headaches since the attacks are often brief.
- Dosage: There are several methods of application which have been used. The most effective method is to use long, cotton pledgetts inserted into the nostril for delivery of the medication. This technique is not well suited for self administration. For self administration, it is usually best applied as nasal drops. Some, however, recommend having the solution placed into a nasal spray device.
- Price: A 60 ml bottle of the spray costs $87.
10) Ergotamine: Cures headache due to migraine
- Brand name – Migril
- Composition – Ergotamine 2 mg, caffeine 100mg and cyclizine 50mg
- Popularity level – 5
Ergotamine acts by constricting the dilated cranial vessels. Given early in attack, relief is often dramatic and lower doses suffice, but when pain has become severe — larger doses are needed.
- Dosage: Oral / sublingual route is preferred, 1mg is given at half hour internals till relief is obtained or a total of 6mg is given.
- Price: A pack of 10 tablets of Migril cost around ₹14.
11) Sumatriptan: Cures headache due to migraine, nausea and vomiting
- Brand name – Migratan, Suminat, Sumitrex
- Composition – Sumatriptan
- Popularity level – 7
Sumatriptan causes 5HT-1D receptor mediated constriction of dilated cranial blood vessels. Dilatation of these shunt vessels during migraine attack is believed to divert blood flow away from brain parenchyma. This drug has fewer side effects than ergotamine. It also suppresses nausea and vomiting due to migraine.
- Dosage: 25 – 100mg depending on the severity of migraine attack.
- Price: A single tablet pack of sumitrex costs ₹20.
12) Rizatriptan: Cures headache due to migraine, nausea and vomiting
- Brand name – Rizact, Rizatan
- Composition – Rizatriptan
- Popularity level – 8
It is a congener of sumatriptan and has higher oral availability with slightly faster onset of action.
- Dosage: 5-10mg, repeat once after 2 hr (if required).
- Price: A pack of 4 tablets of rizact cost ₹250.
13) Eletriptan: Cures headache due to migraine, nausea and vomiting
- Brand name – Relpax
- Composition – Eletriptan
- Popularity level – 5
Eletriptan is used to treat migraines. It helps to relieve headache, pain, and other migraine symptoms (including nausea, vomiting, sensitivity to light/sound). Prompt treatment helps you return to your normal routine and may decrease your need for other pain medications. Eletriptan belongs to a class of drugs known as triptans. It affects a certain natural substance (serotonin) that causes narrowing of blood vessels in the brain. It may also relieve pain by affecting certain nerves in the brain.
- Dosage: Take this medication by mouth with or without food as directed by your doctor, at the first sign of a migraine. The dosage is based on your medical condition and response to treatment.
- Price: Price:The cost for Relpax oral tablet 20 mg is around $399 for a supply of 6 tablets.
14) Frovatriptan: Cures headache due to migraine, nausea and vomiting
- Brand name – Frova
- Composition – Frovatriptan
- Popularity level – 5
This drug acts by dilating cranial blood vessels by acting on 5HT-1B receptors. It has a very long duration of effect, thus can control recurrence of headache after migraine attack.
- Dosage: 2.5 – 5 mg initially; max dose is 7.5 mg.
- Price: The cost for Frova oral tablet 2.5 mg is around $769 for a supply of 9 tablets.
15) Zolmitriptan: Cures headache due to severe migraine
- Brand name – Zomig 5 mg
- Composition – Zolmitriptan
- Popularity level – 5
Zolmitriptan is used to treat migraines. It helps to relieve headache, pain, and other migraine symptoms (including nausea, vomiting, sensitivity to light/sound). Prompt treatment helps you return to your normal routine and may decrease your need for other pain medications. Zolmitriptan belongs to a class of drugs known as triptans. It affects a certain natural substance (serotonin) that causes narrowing of blood vessels in the brain. It may also relieve pain by affecting certain nerves in the brain.
- Dosage: Take this medication by mouth with or without food as directed by your doctor, at the first sign of a migraine. The dosage is based on your medical condition, response to treatment, and other medications you may be taking.
- Price: A pack of 3 tablets cost $377.15
