Migraines can be debilitating and should be addressed promptly with available treatment options. A neurologist will diagnose migraines by reviewing your symptoms and medical history, and may order an MRI scan to inspect blood vessels and the brain.
Prescription drugs known as triptans (sumatriptan, rizatriptan, and others) can help stop an attack in its tracks by blocking pain pathways in the brain. Dihydroergotamine nasal spray or injection form may also provide some relief.
1. Over-the-Counter Pain Relievers
Over-the-counter (OTC) pain relievers like acetaminophen and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs, such as aspirin or ibuprofen) may help relieve mild to moderate headaches and may reduce nausea and vomiting, though not always. They work best when taken upon first sign of symptoms rather than waiting.
An acute migraine attack often includes nausea, which can be disruptive and disruptive to a person’s daily activities. Some find relief through anti-nausea medications like ondansetron (Zofran) and prochlorperazine (Compazine).
Triptans, commonly used to treat acute migraine attacks, may reduce pain in some individuals. Triptans can be administered via nasal spray or prefilled syringe and are especially useful in cases with rapid-onset migraines, according to Dr. Loder.
OTC medications such as benzodiazepines and antidepressants might help some people with migraines; however, their side effects include liver damage and cardiovascular problems. Furthermore, taking too many OTC drugs at once may trigger something known as medication overuse headache which is difficult to treat.
2. Botulinum Toxin
Migraine treatments range from medications that address symptoms immediately as they emerge (acute treatment) to daily pills to reduce frequency and severity (preventive). Healthcare providers will typically combine several preventive migraine medicines into submaximal dosages so as to minimize side effects – this process often requires trial-and-error until one or more drugs reduce both frequency and severity of migraine attacks.
Ubrogepant (Ubrelvy) and rimegepant (Nurtec ODT) are oral migraine medications designed to alleviate headache symptoms like pain, nausea and light sensitivity by blocking the chemical messenger that causes nerves to contract. Both medications have also been approved as treatments for certain movement disorders like spasmodic torticollis and blepharospasm.
3. Medications
There are various medications to help treat migraine headaches as they develop, such as painkillers, anti-sickness drugs and preventative medicines.
If simple painkillers don’t help, doctors may prescribe triptans – medications which work by blocking pain pathways in the brain – which include sumatriptan (Imitrex), almotriptan (Almotar and Tosymra), eletriptan (Relph), frovatriptan (Frova), naratriptan (Amerge) and zolmitriptan (Maxalt). Some intranasal sprays may work faster than tablets
Preventive medicines known as CGRP monoclonal antibodies may also help people reduce the number of migraines they experience. Erenumab (Aimovig), fremanezumab (Ajovy), and galcanezumab (Emgality) should be given monthly or quarterly via injection, with newer medicine rimegepant (Qulipta) serving as an oral preventive medication that’s the first and only CGRP receptor antagonist approved for adult use – which also helps prevent migraine headaches! CGRP promotes blood vessel dilation which in turn causes headaches which leads to migraine headaches and headaches!
4. Surgery
If your migraines do not respond to medication and other treatments, surgery may be recommended by a doctor. This procedure involves deactivating sensory nerves in the face and head to relieve headache pain; it works particularly well for individuals suffering from chronic migraine who experience frequent attacks.
Migraines begin with irritation or compression of sensory nerves and blood vessels in the head and neck region – also known as trigger points – which when released via surgery will significantly lessen or eliminate migraine pain altogether.
An orthopedic surgeon can surgically extract any portion of bone or tissue pressing on nerves in your head or neck that’s impinging upon quality of life, providing an easier life experience overall.
Migraines that can benefit most from this treatment include forehead, nasal and occipital migraines. Headache triggers include irritation or compression of supraorbital nerve, zygomaticotemporal nerve or auriculotemporal nerve in the forehead as well as greater and lesser occipital nerves located behind the neck.
