People living with migraines are accustomed to taking multiple medications at the same time to treat an attack, which may lead to analgesic rebound headaches and dependency issues.
CGRP inhibitors such as rimegepant (Nurtec) and ubrogepant (Ubrelvy) work quickly to alleviate symptoms, including pain relief. Furthermore, these drugs are proven to decrease migraine-related nausea by over 50%.
Medications
Migraine medications can provide effective relief of migraine symptoms such as pain, nausea and sensitivity. Migraine medication should be taken at the first sign of migraine; either as pills or injections.
Triptans, or migraine medicines that target dilation of blood vessels during a migraine attack, are effective at stopping headaches by narrowing them. Examples include eletriptan (Relpax), frovatriptan (Ferretta) and rizatriptan (Maxalt). They’re more effective than simple analgesics like ibuprofen at relieving headache pain.
Antinausea medications such as metoclopramide or prochlorperazine may help relieve migraine symptoms as a form of treatment, either alone or when combined with an NSAID or triptan.
Newer migraine drugs like rimegepant (Nurtec) and ubrogepant (Ubrelvy), which target molecules which cause blood vessels to dilate, may be more effective than traditional remedies such as amitriptyline and topiramate.
Lifestyle changes
Even though many factors beyond patients’ control (weather, everyday stressors and an occasional bad night of restful sleep) can contribute to migraine attacks, there are steps they can take to help avoid or mitigate them. They can follow standard sleep hygiene recommendations (go to bed at the same time each night and aim for at least seven and eight hours of restful slumber) as well as increase water consumption; take regular sleep hygiene tips (go to sleep by midnight each night if you can); have regular and healthy meals while monitoring caffeine consumption; keep a diary to record symptoms arising as well as triggers.
Exercise is another key way to prevent migraines. Exercising releases chemicals into the brain that block pain signals and helps relieve anxiety and depression – both common triggers. Plus, obesity increases risk for chronic headaches!
Biofeedback and relaxation training may provide an effective and affordable alternative to pharmaceutical drugs that may be difficult to manage on a budget. Biofeedback helps create deeper body awareness while relaxation training teaches techniques for slowing the sympathetic nervous system responsible for stress responses, thus offering relief from anxiety-inducing stress responses.
Acupuncture
Acupuncture uses fine needles to stimulate certain points on your body, including those related to headache. Acupuncture can help alleviate tension and relieve pain so you can return to regular activities more easily; before considering this treatment option it is wise to consult your healthcare provider first.
Migraines can be debilitating, so finding effective treatment options is critical to living an enjoyable life. Medication may help, but many may experience side effects like gastrointestinal damage, dizziness or fatigue – making a combination of non-pharmacological and pharmaceutical therapies an ideal way to prevent and treat migraines.
Researchers used proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy imaging in a 2018 study to explore how acupuncture affected the brain during a migraine attack. They discovered changes to various brain metabolites including N-acetylaspartate (NAA), creatine (Cr) and chlorine-containing compounds involved in pain signal transmission; suggesting acupuncture can improve symptoms while potentially preventing migraine attacks.
Headache relief devices
An attack of migraine can be brought on by many different things, so it is wise to use several treatments at the same time to manage its symptoms. Medication, SEEDS (Sleep, Exercise, what you eat, migraine diary and stress management), non-prescription headache relief devices all play an integral part in treating migraine.
One FDA-cleared sTMS device available without a valid valid prescription is CEFALY, an FDA-cleared home use sTMS device which stimulates the trigeminal nerve to help prevent or treat an attack by interrupting abnormal electrical activity in the brain linked to migraine pain. Participants in an open-label clinical trial found significant reductions in migraine days as well as acute medications use due to regular usage of CEFALY device.
GammaCore, another FDA-cleared device, stimulates the vagus nerve in the neck to help both prevent and treat migraines. The small hand-held device can be applied directly to skin with its activation done through smartphone apps – costing less than one migraine pill and potentially covered by insurance plans.
