We’ve all had garden variety headaches from time to time. Sleeping, drinking water, or taking aspirin or Tylenol allows you to get rid of these “tension headaches” (as doctors call them) quickly and easily.

But if you suffer from severe or chronic tension headaches, you know that headaches can take over your work and family life. A study from the American Headache Society shows that 70% of chronic headache sufferers have significant problems with daily functioning due to headaches.

Migraine sufferers have symptoms in addition to the headache; they can spend days a month in a dark room because pain and sensitivity to light are unbearable otherwise.

Fioricet: a new option

Fioricet is one of the drugs that researchers have developed to control headaches. It has been found to be effective for tension headaches. While studies haven’t shown it to be effective for migraine sufferers in general, some people with migraines seem to find it helpful as well.

Fioricet gets its effect from three different ingredients that attack different “parts” of your headache, just like a good laundry detergent has different ingredients to fight grease, odors, and dirt.

So how does the dynamic trio work?

Fioricet has three parts, two of which may be old friends:

Butalbital

Acetominophen

Caffeine

Butalbital is a barbiturate; like other barbiturates, it has a relaxing effect. Butalbital will help you relax and make you feel a bit drowsy, which seems to help with tension headaches.

Acetominophen is a drug that you may recognize as the active ingredient in Tylenol. It can help relieve pain, especially when combined with a relaxant.

Caffeine gives you the “buzz” you may feel after drinking tea, coffee, or cola, or eating chocolate. Caffeine helps reduce blood flow to the brain. Many scientists believe that “too much” blood flowing to the brain is part of the cause of chronic tension headaches, so caffeine can reduce this effect.

Fioricet as part of your pain management system

As headache sufferers, anything that can help us get our lives back to normal sounds like a God send. But there are a couple of questions to ask yourself before talking to your doctor about a prescription.

o Do I have migraines? If you don’t know, discuss your symptoms with your doctor before deciding that Fioricet is a good option for you.

o Is operating heavy machinery or driving a lot part of my daily life? If you take too much Fioricet or are very sensitive to barbiturates, it can create the feelings and behaviors of someone who has had too much alcohol. Being “drunk” is not a good combination with operating a tow truck or driving carts full of children to school, soccer practice, and the library!

o Do I need a pain reliever at least once a day? Fioricet can make you depend on him. Dependence can lead to “rebound headaches” (headaches when the drug leaves your system) and even more serious health consequences. Your doctor may suggest that you use Fioricet as a “back-up” medicine, to use it on days when your regular medicine does not work. And if you have previously been dependent on another drug (including alcohol), this drug is not for you.

I’ve thought it through, what is my next step?

Take the prescription to your local pharmacy or online pharmacy so it is ready to use at the sign of the first stubborn headache. Talking to your doctor about any problems or side effects, such as dizziness or drowsiness, will help you administer this medication and may make it part of your plan for a pain-free life.