Headaches are one of the most common forms of chronic pain (second only to back troubles). Anyone who's suffered the splitting pain of a headache — especially a migraine knows how difficult it can be to drive, work, and even carry on a conversation while your head is pounding.

But when a headache strikes, you can do more than just crawl into bed and wait for it to go away. There are effective headache treatments available and ways to find quick relief. Headache Treatment: Medications

Just about any over-the-counter (OTC) pain reliever can offer relief for non-migraine headaches, also known as tension headaches, says Jack M. Rozental, MD, PhD, a migraine specialist at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago. Medications that contain only one drug (acetaminophen, ibuprofen, naproxen, or aspirin) are an effective headache treatment, he says, as are those that include a combination of aspirin, acetaminophen, and caffeine.

For those who suffer from frequent or recurring headaches, doctors sometimes recommend prescription-strength doses of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen or naproxen. Indomethacin, an NSAID that is available only by prescription, is "usually used for arthritis, but can also be very useful as a headache treatment," Dr. Rozental says. "Indomethacin's downside is that it is among the drugs most likely to cause gastric irritation," including stomach ulcers and bleeding. 

• Narcotics, such as oxycodone, hydrocodone, hydromorphone, or codeine
• Butorphanol, a narcotic nasal spray
• Tramadol

Unfortunately, the risk with many of these prescription drugs is that they can lead to substance abuse and dependence, Rozental says. Butorphanol, in particular, "should be avoided because of its very high propensity to cause dependence after even minimal use," he explains.