Headaches are a normal occurrence, some acute, some chronic. Each year, about 45 million American adults experience it, approximately 20 million of which are women. Some chronic headaches are due to stress, some brought about by certain medical conditions. Whatever the case may be, most doctors turn to various over-the-counter and prescription medications such as butalbital, one of the most trusted headache pain relief medications used worldwide.

What is butalbital?

Butalbital is a kind of barbiturate. Barbiturates are drugs that mainly act as a central nervous system depressant that change the way the body reacts to pain. Butalbital is one of the most commonly used medications for pain and headaches. It is usually combined with other medications, such as paracetamol or aspirin to produce maximum results if alleviating pain caused by tension headaches.

What are the side effects of butalbital?

Side effects of butalbital can be differentiated to physical and psychological effects. The physical side effects may include but are not limited to:

* Dizziness

* Drowsiness

* Light-headedness

* Nausea

* Upset stomach

* An intoxicated feeling

The psychological side effects may include:

* Sedation

* Euphoria

* Confusion or severe impairment of judgment

Side effects for butalbital are not limited to the ones listed above. Upon experiencing any side effect that is not included in the list, immediately contact your physician.

What special precautions should be kept in mind before using butalbital?

It is important to keep in mind that there are considerations that need to be paid special attention to when it comes to ingesting butalbital. Here are some of them:

* Addiction. Butalbital is a potentially addictive substance. People with a history of substance abuse may want to consider using another type of medication, or have their dosage adjusted.

* Allergies. Make sure that you discuss all medication allergies to your doctor before taking butalbital so that they can search for a

* Liver diseases or dysfunctions. The body processes butalbital through the liver. Having liver dysfunction may lessen the efficacy of the prescription drug because it was not processed by the body properly.

* Kidney dysfunctions or disorders. Butalbital residue is excreted from the body after being filtered by the kidneys. Having a healthy set of kidneys assures complete filtration of butalbital and minimal residue build-up in the system.

* Pregnancy. Women need to tell their doctors if they are pregnant or are attempting to get pregnant during the course of treatment as the effects of butalbital on developing fetuses have not yet been established.

* Breastfeeding. It is important for nursing moms to advise their doctors that they are breastfeeding their child because it has not yet been established whether butalbital passes on to babies through breast milk.

* Alcohol intake. Never take butalbital with alcohol as it may increase the intoxicating effect of the drug and increase liver toxicity.

Keep in mind that butalbital can cause dizziness and drowsiness. This is why it is best to avoid engaging in potentially hazardous tasks or activities that require full alertness to minimize the risks of getting into an accident while under the influence of the prescription medication.