Is it ok to take Imitrex if your headache is a tension headache and not a migraine?

I suspect most of my headaches are tension headaches, but my doctor thinks I have migraines so he prescribed me Imitrex. I had what I think is a tension headache yesterday and felt like it was getting bad, maybe turning into a migraine, so I took the Imitrex and it seemed to help out a lot. Instead of having the headache for the rest of the day and night, it was mostly gone in a few hours. I was back to normal last night, living normally, which is rare when I get those headaches. The headache was mostly gone after having a nap. Normally when I try to sleep it off, the headache gets even worse and doesn't go away until I wake up the next morning. Should I continue to take the Imitrex when my tension headaches start to get really bad? My quality of life really deteriorates when I'm fighting those kinds of headaches.

Imitrex worked for me for a few years, sometimes you develop a tolerance to the med's so you have to change to a new one. I also suffer from tension headaches and when they get out of control they lead into my migraine episodes that can last for days. My current abortive medicines are Relpax OR Maxalt, just be aware that you CANNOT take a different medicine (Relpax then Maxalt for example) within 24 hours of each other. Another good one is Frova. These all allow you to continue on in your life, they don't knock you out for 10 hours or make you sick. Good Luck! If you have any more questions, feel free...

Here are a few links that should be helpful to you. The first ones are for headaches and the last one is so you can look up your medications at the same site your doctor would use
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/migrain...
http://health.discovery.com/centers/head...
http://www.healthatoz.com/healthatoz/Ato...

For Rx info http://pdrhealth.com

And I don't think 'if it works, do it' is a good idea when you are dealing with medications that work in specific ways

If it works, and it seems to, then yes take it.

No, pl see what suits you.
If you are in cold country use all warm things.
Pl try cold water bath and observe if in hot country, if pain increases use warm.
If you have cough/cold body hot water bath will help.
Massage and exercise in front of morning sun is good thing, pl try.
Pl try simple acupressure given below for immediate relief.
If it fails you will have to go for Acupuncture.

There is hardly any medicine for H/A OR MIGRAINE. Not only these but for RA, OA, Back ache, Ear ache/ringing, Stomach ache and almost all painful diseases. Hence they become chronic.

Acidity, WORRY, sadness, excessive wind, cold , heat, sour food and sinusitis, constipation, intestinal inflammation; drug side effects, stress, bad smell, TV & COMPUTER SOMETIMES, Blockage in the flow of Vital Energy, BODY CONSTITUTION etc are their causes.
None of them can be treated with medicine.
Our 100% success in treating migraine &H/A confirms it.

Acupuncture is the best treatment.
I can treat it with naturopathy and YOG, but how can you manage pl see.

Pain killers don't treat the pain but we loose the sense of pain for some time; in that duration our body itself treats sometime and credit goes to meds.
The useless drugs have tremendous power of side effects like liver/kidney failures, ulcer, inflammation of intestines and lot more.

Avoid late sleeping if possible; worry, tension, spicy foods, sour fruits, stale bakery foods, SMOKING and alcohole.

Sweet foods, COCOANUT WATER,sweet fruits like dates, milk, rice, SPROUTS, SALADS and good sleep will help if cough is not there.

But you try one herbal remedy- two drops of drumstick leaves' juice in opposite nostril if one side pains and both nostrils if full H/A will give you rescue. Betel leaf helps but it is very strong.

If it is acute pl search a painful point (with round tipped pen/jimmy) 3-6 mm behind your thumb nail and press it, H/A will disappear within 30 seconds.

For forehead/eye pain the points are in front of nails on the finger tips or 3-7 mm below.

It may disappear naturally too.

Source(s):
SHREE SWASTHYAYOG TREATMENT, TRAINING & RESEARCH INSTITUTE
R.H. 19, Jhulelal Society, Sector 2/E, Airoli, Navi Mumbai, INDIA.