Medication Overuse HeadacheMedication Overuse Headache affects about 2% of migraine sufferers each year. The usual situation is a particularly severe headache that fails to resolve as quickly as normal. Additional painkillers are taken. As these painkillers are stopped the headaches escalate again. A cycle of medication followed by headache sets in. If the cycle can be broken, then headache frequency and severity can reduce by up to 70%. The arrival of Triptans has changed the pattern of medication associated with medication overuse. Now, triptans are one of the most common medications and aspirin is less often seen as a provoking cause. 
Recent research from New York has found that in the preceding year, people who experience chronic daily headache have often had significant psychosocial stressors, and a holistic approach is required for treatment. I often use a migraine prophylaxis drug, such as Topiramate which has randomised trial evidence of efficacy in reduction of chronic daily headache associated with medication overuse.
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