All 3 patients had two additional atherosclerotic or nonatherosclerotic risk factors for stroke, suggesting that vertebral artery hypoplasia combined with other conventional risk factors may provide an optimal background for brainstem ischemia.
Category B anti-headache medications include Tylenol (acetaminophen); Reglan (metoclopramide), which is used for nausea but also may relieve a mild headache; and over-the-counter non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as Advil and Motrin (ibuprofen) or Aleve (naproxen) only during the first and second trimesters.
Although headache treatment often involves taking pain pills, this type of relief carries with it the risk of side effects, rebound headaches (headaches brought on by taking too much medication), and addiction (like opioids, or narcotics). Some headache medication also has limited use for pregnant women and children.