Abstract
Medication overuse headache (MOH) usually resolves after the overuse is stopped. However, it can be challenging to prescribe common prophylactic medications when patients are old or have concerns about the side effects of Western prophylactic medications. As an alternative therapy, traditional Japanese herbal Kampo medicine can be used. One of them, yokukansan (TJ-54), is often used for behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia in Japan. Recently, it has been reported as an alternative medication for episodic, chronic, or MOH. We herein report a MOH in an older man already taking antihypertensive drugs. His MOH was successfully relieved by TJ-54 instead of the common prophylactic medications. His headache and nausea were relieved on day four of the treatment. After that, he did not need any analgesic drugs. Of course, we should pay attention to the side effects, pseudoaldosteronism, but TJ-54 may be one of the alternative treatment therapies for MOH.
Highlights
Medication overuse headache (MOH), coded 8.2 according to the International Classification of Headache Disorders 3rd edition (ICHD-3) [1], is a condition in which headaches occur 15 or more days per month in a patient with a pre-existing primary headache and develops as a consequence of regular overuse of acute or symptomatic headache medication for more than three months
We presented the case of an elderly man with MOH who was successfully treated using TJ-54
We used TJ-54 instead of common prophylactic medication because of the age of the patient and concerns regarding side effects. This is a single case report, TJ-54 seemed effective for MOH
Summary
Medication overuse headache (MOH), coded 8.2 according to the International Classification of Headache Disorders 3rd edition (ICHD-3) [1], is a condition in which headaches occur 15 or more days per month in a patient with a pre-existing primary headache and develops as a consequence of regular overuse of acute or symptomatic headache medication (on 10 or more or 15 or more days per month, depending on the medication) for more than three months. We report a MOH in an older man already taking antihypertensive drugs His MOH was successfully relieved by TJ-54 instead of the common prophylactic medications. For the past two years, he had been taking three times daily 550-mg acetaminophen, 60-mg anhydrous caffeine, 270-mg salicylamide, and 13.5-mg promethazine methylene disalicylate as combination-analgesic medication from his family doctor He had hypertension and insomnia, so he took 20-mg olmesartan, 2.5-mg amlodipine, and 0.25-mg brotizolam as needed. His headache and nausea were relieved on day four of the treatment. After stopping the combination-analgesic medication and starting yokukansan (TJ-54), the severity gradually improved
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
