Two types of drugs are available to treat Migraines: those that relieve symptoms after an attack begins and those that reduce or prevent attacks.
Acute medications to stop a migraine attack
Prescription medications and over-the-counter pain relievers are among the acute treatments for Migraines. Antinausea medication can also help those with nausea and vomiting associated with Migraines.
The most common over-the-counter migraine pain relievers are acetaminophen (Tylenol, Advil, Motrin IB), Ibuprofen (Advil IB, Motrin IB), and Naprosyn (Aleve).
Prescription drugs include:
- Triptans
- Gepants
- Titans
- Ergots
Triptans
are still use to treat migraines today. These include almotriptan, eletriptan, frovatriptan, naratriptan and zolmitriptan.
Sumatriptan, zolmitriptan, and sumatriptan can also be purchas as nasal sprays. All triptans are available in pill form. Zolmitriptan, a data-component-name=” data-gd wrapp =” href=”https://www.everydayhealth.com/drugs/imitrex”>sumatriptan/a>, as well as zolmitriptan and sumatriptan, can also be purchase in nasal sprays. Sumatriptan is also available by injection.
Triptans may not be recommend or contraindicated for certain people. These include those with uncontrolled high blood pressure, those who have had a stroke, those with heart problems, and those with rare migraines, like hemiplegic and brainstem migraines.
Gepants
Also known as calcitonin-relat peptide receptor antagonists (CGRP), gepants are a group of medicines specifically develop to treat Migraines. They include the oral medications ubrogepant, (Ubrelvy), rimegepant, (Nurtec) as well the nasal spray zavegepant, (Zapret). It block the action of CGRP in the nervous system and brain.
Gepants are not only for people who have cardiovascular risk factors but also for those with stroke risks. Gepants are the only migraine medication that does not cause a headache from overuse when taken frequently.
Lasmiditan Titans
Rey Now is the only drug approv in the class of titans, or 5-HT1F agonists. It is similar to triptans but does not constrict blood vessels. This means that it could use by people who cannot take triptans due to cardiovascular risk factors.
Ergots
such as Ergotamine (Ergomar), are no longer commonly prescribe in the United States because they tend to be less effective and have more side effects. Dihydroergotamine is the only form of ergot still commonly use . 45, Migranal Trudhesa) It can be administer intravenously or as a nasal spray at home.
Anti Nausea Medicines
The drugs that can be prescrib for nausea cause by Migraines include metoclopramide (Reglan), methyl promazine (Compro), and Prochlorperazine.
Chlorpromazine is available as a liquid or tablet. Metoclopramide can also be purchase as a nasal spray. Prochlorperazine can give as a tablet or suppository.
It’s essential to take your antimigraine medications as prescribed and follow your healthcare provider’s instructions. Overusing most migraine medications, including OTC drugs, can lead to a medication-overuse (rebound headache) headache.
Preventive Medication
Most medications used as a prophylactic or preventive measure for Migraines were not develop specifically to treat migraines. They’re mainly use to treat cardiovascular diseases, seizures, and Depression.
The CGRP antagonists and antibodies, also known as pants, are two exceptions.
People who suffer from severe, frequent, or long-lasting migraines will usually be advise to undergo preventive treatment. Some migraine sufferers may need acute and preventive treatment to control their attacks.
CGRP Antibodies were Develop to reduce the frequency of migraine attacks. CGRP antibodies are erenumab, fremanezumab, galcanezumab – gnlm and eptinezumab. These drugs can be inject monthly or instilled intravenously every three months.
CGRP antibodies also work by blocking CGRP. Both chronic and episodic migraine sufferers have shown reduced migraine days when using these antibodies.
GepantsThe CGRP-antagonists rimegepant (Nurtec ODT) and atonement (Qulipta) are available orally and have been approve by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to prevent Migraines.
Botox Injections every 12 weeks of OnabotulinumtoxinA (Botox ) may also prevent Migraines for some people with chronic Headaches. It’s not FDA-approve for episodic headaches. It may take several injections before you feel the effects. According to research, the benefits of Botox injections for migraines increase when multiple treatments are perform .
Beta Blockers Drugs that lower blood pressure are beta-blockers. Some people can prevent migraines by taking them daily. Beta-blockers include Metoprolol Tartrate (Lopressor XL), Propranolol / InnoPranXL, and Timolol.
Metoprolol can be take in tablet, capsule, or liquid form, and Propranolol by injection, capsule, or liquid. Timolol comes as a tablet or as an eyedrop. Beta-blockers usually start at a small dose and gradually increase to a higher dose.
Antidepressants, as their name suggests, are most commonly take to treat Depression. They can also prevent migraines. Research has shown that venlafaxine (Cymbalta), nortriptyline (Elavil), and duloxetine are effective antidepressants in preventing Migraines. All of these drugs can take in the form of pills or capsules.
Anti Seizure Medicines According to StatPearls, certain anticonvulsants or antiseizure drugs are first-line treatments for migraine prevention. These include Valproate Valproic Acid (Depakene), and Topiramate (Topamax).
Learn more about treatment for Migraines: medication, alternative and complementary therapies, and more.
Stimulation Devices to Treat Migraine
A nerve stimulator may be worthwhile if medications don’t provide adequate migraine relief. Many devices deliver electrical or magnetic impulses to specific nerves to reduce pain and prevent migraine attacks.
These products are not intend to replace medication for migraines but can help manage pain when taken with medications.
External devices target the upper branch trigeminal on the forehead, the vagus through the neck, the occipital on the back, and the peripherals of the upper arm. A device implanted in the body also targets the occipital.
The side effects of nerve stimulation are usually mild. They include mainly redness, irritation, or muscle twitching.
Nerve stimulation devices are expensive and may not be covere by all health insurance plans.
Learn more about Nerve Stimulation Devices to Treat Migraine
Migraine Treatment
Although there is no way to prevent migraines completely, specific lifestyle changes can help to reduce the risk of an attack.
Sleeping Enough Too much or too little sleep may trigger migraine attacks. It is essential to maintain a consistent sleep schedule every night. This means getting up and sleeping at roughly the same time each day. Avoiding excessive naps is also essential.
Regular Meals Skipping breakfast or lunch is a migraine trigger. If food isn’t eat regularly, blood sugar can fall too low. This could lead to migraine attacks or headaches that are not Migraine related.
Stay Hydrated: Drinking enough liquid is just as important as eating regularly. Dehydration can cause headaches in migraine sufferers and even in those without migraines.
Managing stress Stress is often a migraine trigger. It makes sense to find ways of managing life stress. It depends on each individual. Many people have found that taking a class on mindfulness-based stress reduction has helped them deal with chronic pain. Some people find that yoga or meditation can reduce their stress. Working with a psychologist to address issues that cause stress can help you lower your stress levels. Regular Exercise is an excellent way to reduce migraines and stress. Start with low-impact and low-intensity movements, then build up slowly