What Are the Causes of Post-Narcotic Headaches?
Narcotics, also known as opioids, can be synthetic or derived from the poppy plant. They are prescribed by doctors to relieve pain and induce calm, and their intake can produce sleepiness and euphoria. Withdrawal symptoms in the form of headaches can result when use of the drug is halted.
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Effects
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According to the Mental Health Channel, narcotics bind to opioid-U receptors--painkilling sites in the brain--leading to drowsiness and immediate loss of pain. Feelings of well-being are another effect of the drug that can be associated with the removal of pain.
Withdrawal
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With prolonged use, narcotic drugs can become addictive, blocking the brain from producing endorphins, your body's natural chemical to combat pain. Then, when you stop taking these narcotics, because your brain no longer produces its own endorphins, you can experience headaches.
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Dependence
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Dependence on narcotics occurs when narcotic withdrawal is so painful, including intense headaches and other symptoms, that you are compelled to continue with the drug to relief the pain that your brain is no longer able to expunge on its own.
Prescription Drugs
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Prescription medications that relieve short-term pain may contain narcotics. Examples include morphine, Tylenol with codeine, and Vicodin. According to "Science Daily," overusing these prescribed drugs can cause transformative headaches, or repetitive migraines, characterized by throbbing pain.
Psychological Pain
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Narcotic addiction and withdrawal can lead to psychological as well as physical pain, and this behavioral dependence due to anxiety can also promote headaches.
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