syrinx

ABC News ran an article at the beginning of March talking about the dangers of the over-prescription of narcotics such as Demerol and codeine for migraine. Apparently, specialists are now bringing attention to this: "Narcotics, they said, are an unproven and risky treatment for headaches and should rarely be used". These drugs could actually magnify pain instead of minimizing it.

Dr. Stephen Silberstein, president of the American Headache Society at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia, said long-term use of narcotics can actually magnify headache pain and could render other treatments ineffective.

"Not only does it deplenish your own natural painkillers," he said, "but it destroys parts of the brain that are responsible for fighting pain."