Medication Overuse Headache Successfully Treated by Japanese Herbal Kampo Medicine, Yokukansan

Medication overuse headache (MOH) usually resolves after the overuse is stopped. However, it can be challenging to prescribe common prophylactic medications when patients are old or have concerns about the side effects of Western prophylactic medications. As an alternative therapy, traditional Japanese herbal Kampo medicine can be used. One of them, yokukansan (TJ-54), is often used for behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia in Japan. Recently, it has been reported as an alternative medication for episodic, chronic, or MOH. We herein report a MOH in an older man already taking antihypertensive drugs. His MOH was successfully relieved by TJ-54 instead of the common prophylactic medications. His headache and nausea were relieved on day four of the treatment. After that, he did not need any analgesic drugs. Of course, we should pay attention to the side effects, pseudoaldosteronism, but TJ-54 may be one of the alternative treatment therapies for MOH.