HeadWise HeadWise: Volume 3, Issue 1 | Page 31

exists for these two conditions ( 4000mg versus 1000mg ). This leads to a simple but important question ; how much aspirin is the correct dose ? Or perhaps phrased a similar way ; how much aspirin is too much ? Several issues need to be considered prior to answering these questions . First , individuals who have certain risk factors should either avoid aspirin or only use aspirin under close supervision of a health care professional , usually at a reduced dose . Some common risk factors include bleeding disorders ( e . g . stomach ulcers , inability to form blood clots properly , concurrent use of drugs that can cause bleeding such as Coumadin ), pregnancy ( especially the third trimester ), kidney disease , liver disease , asthma , and excessive alcohol consumption ( 3 or more drinks daily ).
Second , patients should strive to determine whether they are a migraine sufferer , as opposed to having some other headache disorder . Migraine ’ s hallmark feature is disrupting a person ’ s ability to perform normal activities of daily living such as being present and productive at their place of employment , fulfilling family responsibilities , ( e . g . cooking meals , caring for children , cleaning house , etc .), or participating in social activities ( dinner with friends , attend children ’ s events , etc .). Other common migraine symptoms include nausea , vomiting , and sensitivities to light or sounds during an attack . If an individual is suffering with a headache so severe that the person is absent from work , is confined to a couch or bed , unable to perform daily tasks ( preparing meals or doing other household chores ), or is cancelling social plans with friends , there is a high probability that this person is experiencing migraine .
Patients with the issues mentioned in the previous paragraph should follow the FDA-recommended aspirin doses for migraine . If aspirin fails to provide relief for the majority of migraine attacks ( e . g . treat three separate attacks with aspirin , but the drug fails to provide adequate relief for at least two attacks ), then an evaluation by a physician should be considered .
However , if someone is able to complete their usual daily tasks despite being in the midst of an acute headache , the probability that this person has migraine is low . This individual should follow the FDA-recommended aspirin doses for “ headache .”
One final and important consideration is how many days per week should this medication be consumed ? Although aspirin can be taken on a daily basis for the treatment of certain illnesses ( e . g . stroke prevention ), ingesting an aspirin
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