Insomia Treatment & Medications - OmniMedicalSearch.com, insomia

Conditions & Diseases: Other

Insomnia

Treatment:
Treatment of insomnia often depends on the cause. If insomnia is a secondary condition or symptom to another problem, healthcare professionals prefer to treat the primary condition whether it be depression, long term anxiety, or a medical condition that is leaving the patient awake at night. Some antidepressants, such as SSRI's, can cause insomnia, however, others have a sedating effect. These include: Elavil, mirtazapine, trazodone and doxepin.

Although many healthcare and sleep disorder treatment professionals would rather treat insomnia with simple but smart changes to one's habits, or treating the primary cause, they recognize that medications are sometimes necessary. Medication is often prescribed by your doctor when non-drug treatments have failed, for short term insomnia, or in cases of severe insomnia or sleep related disorders.

Sleeping pills come in 2 forms, prescription and over the counter. Most over the counter sleeping pills are actually antihistamines which cause a person to become drowsy. They are often useful for short term insomnia but may become ineffective with long term use.

The older class of sleeping pills are benzodiazepines which are a class of "hypnotics" and can be addictive. This class includes: temazepam, diazepam, lorazepam, nitrazepam and midazolam.

The new class of sleeping pills, known as the Z medications (Zopiclone, Zolpidem, Zaleplon) work in a similar fashion as the benzodiazepines. Known throughout the USA as Ambien, Lunesta and Sonata, this Z class of sleeping pills can also be addictive.

Both the Z class and benzodiazepines are only available with prescription and should be considered for short term use. Do not try to "enhance" the effects of OTC or prescription sleeping pills with alcohol.

Although insomnia can be treated with some simple but smart changes to your lifestyle and daily habits, you may find it necessary to consult with your doctor should the problem persist.

Article by Jason Morrow
OmniMedicalSearch.com

Insomnia is sometimes misspelled as insomia.