Amitriptyline is often used as a prophylactic medication to treat tension headaches.
Amitriptyline belongs to the tricyclic class of antidepressants, and is the only prophylactic medication that has been proven effective in multiple controlled clinical studies, and is often used as a first-line option. It is taken once 1-2 hours before bedtime to minimize sedation, and the effective daily dose is usually 30-75 mg. Adverse effects include drowsiness and vertigo, and it is contraindicated in patients with severe cardiac disease.
Prophylactic use is often used in patients with chronic tension headache, or for patients with headaches that are difficult to relieve with analgesics. The starting dose is small, slowly increasing to the effective dose, in order to determine whether the drug is effective, should be treated in full for at least 4~8 weeks. Concomitant disorders of anxiety and depression should be treated concurrently with amitriptyline.
If you need to use amitriptyline, you should use the drug under the guidance of your doctor.