Author Login | Popular Articles | RSS Feeds | Sitemap

Home | Health


Treating Tension Headaches Caused By Muscle Contractions With Fioricet

By: Bruce Holms

Fioricet is used to treat tension headaches that are caused by muscle contractions. Its generic name is acetaminophen, butalbital, and caffeine. Together they are taken orally as a pain reliever and fever reducer. There are many brand names such as: Anolor 300, Dolgic LQ, Esgic, Fioricet, Geone, Margesic, Medigesic, Repan, and Zebutal.

Although people suffering from migraine may tend to take anything that may promise relief, Fioricet seems to do best when the resultant headache is due to muscle contractions.

Acetaminophen is a pain reliever/fever reducer. Butalbital is in a group of drugs called barbiturates that relax muscle contractions involved in a tension headache. Caffeine is a central nervous system stimulant that also relaxes muscle contractions in blood vessels to improve blood flow. Fioricet is a combination of acetaminophen, butalbital, and caffeine.

Fioricet should never be shared with anyone who has a history of drug abuse or addiction.

You should not take Fioricet if you are allergic to acetaminophen, butalbital, or caffeine, or if you have porphyria.

Before using Fioricet, tell your doctor if you have:

- Kidney disease - Liver disease - History of mental illness - Suicidal thoughts

Do not use Fioricet if you are pregnant. It can pass into breast milk and may harm a nursing baby. Do not use Fioricet without telling your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.

Keep track of how much medicine has been used from each new bottle. Butalbital is a drug of abuse and you should be aware if any person in the household is using this medicine improperly or without a prescription.

Since Fioricet is usually taken as needed, never use extra Fioricet to make up for a missed dosage. Seek emergency medical attention if you think you have used too much.

Overdose symptoms may include:

- Insomnia - Restlessness - Tremor - Dizziness - Drowsiness - Nausea - Vomiting - Diarrhea - Stomach pain - Loss of appetite - Increased sweating - Shallow breathing - Confusion - Uneven heartbeats - Seizure (convulsions) - Coma

Signs of an allergic reaction to Fioricet:

- Hives - Difficulty breathing - Swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat - Fast, pounding, or uneven heartbeat - Feeling light-headed or short of breath - Nausea - Stomach pain - Low fever - Loss of appetite - Dark urine - Clay-colored stools - Jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes) - Easy bruising or bleeding - Unusual weakness - Fever - Chills - Body aches - Flu symptoms

Less serious side effects:

- Drowsiness - Dizziness - Confusion or lightheadedness - Dry mouth - Nausea - Vomiting - Stomach pain - Loss of appetite - Feeling anxious or jittery - Drunk feeling - Headache

The following drugs can interact with Fioricet:

- Many antibiotics - Blood thinners such as warfarin (Coumadin) - Isoniazid - Zidovudine (Retrovir, AZT) - Seizure medication such as phenytoin (Dilantin) or phenobarbital (Luminal, Solfoton) - Gout medications such as probenecid (Benemid) or sulfinpyrazone - MAO inhibitor such as isocarboxazid (Marplan), phenelzine (Nardil), rasagiline (Azilect) selegiline (Eldepryl, Emsam), or tranylcypromine (Parnate) - Steroids such as prednisone, fluticasone (Advair), mometasone (Asmanex, Nasonex) dexamethasone (Decadron, Hexadrol) and others - Antidepressants such as amitriptyline (Elavil, Etrafon), clomipramine (Anafranil) desipramine (Norpramin), imipramine (Janimine, Tofranil), and others

Fibromyalgia sufferers don't seem to have any relief from Fioricet although some patients (many in the so-called placebo effect group) use it with great satisfaction. In the case of Fibromyalgia, physician supervision is highly recommended.

Article Source: http://www.articlesnatch.com

About the Author:
Author Resource: Bruce Holms is a research author specializing in the investigation of legal pain medications for sale through U.S. licensed internet pharmacies. He has investigated many free prescription services that claim to have licensed physicians on staff. His work has covered over 100 web sites during the past 2 1/2 years. http://www.onlineprescriptionfast.com

| Print | Ezine Ready | |

Recent Health Articles

  • First Aid Kit at Home By: Caitlinaa Fuller - I always make sure that I have certain medical items available in my house in case of accidents. I have lots of plasters as they are always useful and I have antiseptic cream as well as anti histamine cream. We live near a canal and the path is always full of nettles and brambles so these things come in very helpful. I also keep in some pain killers, paracetamol and ibuprofen tablets as well as some antacid tablets. I have recently added a knee wrap to my collection.
  • When My kid Got a Black Eye By: Caitlinaa Fuller - My poor little son had a black eye the other day. I have no idea how he did it, normally he would come to me if he hurt himself and usually have some tears as he is only three years old. However, this time I just noticed a scratch and bruise under his eye and he said he didn't know how he did it.
  • Marriage Counselling In Lafayette, Louisiana By: Sania Singhai - Marriage and Family Counsellors in Louisiana is individuals who are licensed to assess and treat mental and emotional traumas in a marriage, between couples or within a family system. You will find that these professionals are trained in psychotherapy and family systems (and usually possess a minimum of two years clinical experience). The primary focus of therapists in Louisiana is the long term well being of individuals and their families. As a rule, family therapists practice short term therapy which is around 12 sessions on an average.
  • When You Need Medical Procedures By: Caitlinaa Fuller - I was unfortunate enough to need an x-ray recently at my local hospital. I had hurt my ankle and my doctor suspected that it might well be broken and so told me to go for an x-ray. I was expected to be met with some typical radiology reading rooms with x-ray film being looked at on lighted screens. I have not been to hospital for a very long time, fortunately but I somehow did not expect things to be so much more modern.
  • Treating Urinary Tract Infection - Acupuncture, The Better Alternative in Treating UTI By: Alvin Hopkinson - Health authorities and experts have expressed concern about the emerging threat of antibiotic resistance among UTI patients. In fact, they are considering this to be one of the reasons why urinary tract infection, particularly among women, has becoming acute or persistent as a disease. In America alone, an estimated 11 million people are suffering from acute UTI, despite the fact that over-the-counter antibiotics have increased its sales by 800%, ever since the FDA approved its sale even without medical prescription.
  • Lifestyle changes for acid reflux relief By: Mark Johnson - Acid reflux, also commonly known as heartburn manifests itself with symptoms that may include chronic sore throat, laryngitis, difficulty swallowing, frequent belching or vomiting, persistent coughing or hoarseness, chest pain not related to the heart, upset stomach, chronic bad breath, erosion of tooth enamel and inflammation of the gums. If left untreated, acid reflux may also lead to increasing the risk of esophageal cancer.
  • Four Exiting Experiences Ideas on Training and Playing? By: RalphMcarther - Developing Endurance as a Midfielder Midfielder is, quite frankly, an exhausting position. Midfielders must help both the forwards and the defenders on their team. Their role is the center of the field. The center of the field is where most of the action takes place in a soccer field. The midfielder will run two or three times the distance of a defender or forward during an average soccer game. Having endurance as a runner is perhaps the most important quality a midfielder should possess.
  • 102 - Colon Cleansing Dietary Restrictions By: Gerry Zimmerman - A colon cleansing program is often considered to be a dreadful experience. People are usually worried about the process of colon cleansing, since the complete procedure is pretty awkward for most of them. However, the popularity of these programs is simply undeniable and is highly important for protecting the body against various diseases. People generally fear the colon cleansing due to their ignorance;
  • 5 Tips to Improve Poor Blood Circulation at Home By: Nomi Kato - Poor blood circulation, most of the time affecting primarily the lower limbs, is a medical condition that is becoming more and more common each year. There was a time when it was thought to affect only older people, but now it is becoming more and more common among younger people due to the rising levels of obesity throughout the western world. There is hope, however. There are quite a few things you can do to combat poor blood circulation that do not involve expensive medical treatment or complicated procedures.
  • Some Exiting Techniques Inorder to Restyle Your Teams Soccer Playing Talents By: RalphMcarther - Developing Strength for Soccer When it comes to strength training, there are several exercises you can do for soccer. You do not have to reinvent the wheel; many typical strength training exercises used for any sport will help your soccer game. Weight lifting, sit-ups and push-ups, and in particular all strength exercises for your leg muscles will benefit you in soccer. Additionally, there are other tools you can use to focus on specific soccer skills. Stamina is critical in soccer.

Still can't find what you are looking for? Search for it!

Custom Search

Submit Your link to the Open Link Directory Project

Copyright 2005-2008 MJE Sales, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Proud member of the ArticleCkr Search Network Search Network!
ArticleSnatch.com is free for both publishers and authors to use and is supported entirely from advertising revenue.
Use of our service is protected by our Privacy Policy and Terms of Service.