Migraine headaches can cause excruciating discomfort and interfere with daily life, but fortunately there are various treatment options available to combat migraine.
Your healthcare provider will assist in selecting medications best suited to meet your individual needs, from over-the-counter and prescription options, as well as possible lifestyle modifications such as cutting back on caffeine intake. They may also suggest making changes in diet – for instance reducing its consumption.
Over-the-Counter Pain Relievers
As there are so many types of OTC pain medicines, it can be challenging to select the appropriate one. Some OTC medicines may help relieve headaches while others could ease arthritis pain or menstrual cramps – while still others could work to ease fever symptoms. It’s important to read labels and follow directions closely – taking too much medicine can be dangerous!
Checking OTC medicines’ labels for possible side effects and interactions is also key; consult your pharmacist if any questions arise.
Acetaminophen, ibuprofen and naproxen are among the most frequently prescribed OTC pain relievers. When taken at once, multiple medicines could interact and lead to serious side effects including liver or kidney damage or malfunction. Furthermore, only take an OTC medicine once daily.
Anti-Nausea Medications
Different medications exist to alleviate or treat nausea depending on its source, some being over-the-counter while others require a valid valid valid valid valid prescription from their healthcare providers. They come in oral forms or other dosage forms like suppositories and injections; many prescription anti-nausea medicines also come as lower cost generic versions.
Antihistamines like cinnarizine, cyclizine and promethazine are effective medications for treating stomach upset caused by illness such as flu or food poisoning, motion sickness or inner ear problems that lead to vertigo. By blocking histamine 1 receptors in the brain they provide relief quickly.
Dopamine antagonists such as prochlorperazine (Stemetil) and levomepromazine (Mellaril) may help relieve nausea caused by cancer drugs, radiation therapy and certain opioid medications. Metoclopramide works directly on the gut to control GERD symptoms such as gastroenteritis or morning sickness during pregnancy.
Ondansetron (Zofran) can block certain serotonin receptors in your brain to reduce chemotherapy- and other procedure-induced nausea and vomiting (PONV). It should be taken prior to any procedures to avoid adverse side effects and decrease PONV symptoms.
Trigger-Relieving Medications
Migraine pain can be disabling. Typically occurring on just one side and throbbing intermittently, making it hard to think or speak clearly; nausea and vomiting may occur; and you may even experience what feels like electrical shocks in the back of the neck (referred to as “occipital neuralgia”).
Doctors prescribe two forms of medications for treating migraine headaches: pain-relieving drugs called abortive treatment that are taken during an attack to alleviate its symptoms; and preventive medicines taken daily to decrease both frequency and severity. A combination of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, acetaminophen and caffeine (Excedrin Migraine) may provide some relief of mild-to-moderate migraine pain.
Another class of migraine medicines are oral calcitonin gene-related peptide antagonists (gepants), such as Ubrelvy and Nurtec ODT gepants. These block headache pain by blocking certain nerves in the brain – but using too often may result in medication overuse headaches.
Other Medications
Your doctor may prescribe a combination of painkillers and anti-sickness medicines designed specifically to combat migraine. These triptan medicines include sumatriptan, almotriptan, eletriptan, frovatriptan, naratriptan and rizatriptan; injection versions may work faster and may be a better choice if nausea makes swallowing pills difficult. Opiate painkillers such as codeine should not be taken as these may make the sickness worse and increase the risk of medication overuse headache.
Avoid migraine attacks by getting enough rest and keeping a regular schedule, exercising regularly, using relaxation techniques such as biofeedback and meditation, and avoiding foods that might trigger migraines like caffeine. A transcutaneous supraorbital nerve stimulation (t-SNS) headband may also provide mild electrical impulses to the trigeminal nerve to reduce symptoms; you could also keep a migraine diary to identify potential triggers.
