Migraines Overview
Migraines and other types of headaches, such as tension headache and sinus headache, are painful. Migraine symptoms include a pounding headache, nausea, vomiting, and light sensitivity and are treated with antinausea drugs and abortive or preventive medications. Headache remedies include pain relievers.
Medicines That Prevent Migraines
There's no relief like stopping a migraine before it happens. Several drugs can help prevent pain. Among your options:
Beta-blockers. These relax your blood vessels. You can try as propranolol (Inderal) and metoprolol (Toprol).
Calcium channel blockers. These include dilatizem (Cardizem) and verapamil. They reduce the narrowing of your blood vessels.
Tricyclic antidepressants. Your doctor may prescribe amitriptyline (Elavil) and nortriptyline (Aventyl, Pamelor).
Migraines and other types of headaches, such as tension headache and sinus headache, are painful. Migraine symptoms include a pounding headache, nausea, vomiting, and light sensitivity and are treated with antinausea drugs and abortive or preventive medications. Headache remedies include pain relievers.
There's no relief like stopping a migraine before it happens. Several drugs can help prevent pain. Among your options:
Beta-blockers. These relax your blood vessels. You can try as propranolol (Inderal) and metoprolol (Toprol).
Calcium channel blockers. These include dilatizem (Cardizem) and verapamil. They reduce the narrowing of your blood vessels.
Tricyclic antidepressants. Your doctor may prescribe amitriptyline (Elavil) and nortriptyline (Aventyl, Pamelor).A Visual Guide to Migraine HeadachesAnticonvulsants. These are drugs that prevent or reduce seizures. To prevent migraines, your doctor may recommend valproic acid (Depakote) or topiramate (Topamax).
Making the Decision
You may want to consider medicine to prevent migraines if you:
- Have pain that interferes with your life despite treatment.
- Get at least three moderate-to-severe headaches per month.
- Take a lot of painkillers.
- Can't get enough relief from drugs you now take.
- Have side effects from your headache drugs.
- Have uncommon migraine conditions like continuing aura (blurred vision or seeing spots or wavy lines).
Preventive medicine might not be right for you if:
- Your headaches are controlled by anti-inflammatories like naproxen and ibuprofen.
- Other health conditions keep you from taking preventive drugs.
- There could be bad interactions with other medicines you take.
- You prefer treatments that don't involve drugs
If you can't take medication or prefer not to, there’s a device worth considering. Cefaly is the first FDA-approved machine that prevents migraines in people over 18. Worn around the forehead, this portable headband-like device gives out electrical impulses. These stimulate a nerve connected with migraines. You’ll feel a tingling sensation and should use it once a day for 20 minutes.
You may want to consider medicine to prevent migraines if you:
- Have pain that interferes with your life despite treatment.
- Get at least three moderate-to-severe headaches per month.
- Take a lot of painkillers.
- Can't get enough relief from drugs you now take.
- Have side effects from your headache drugs.
- Have uncommon migraine conditions like continuing aura (blurred vision or seeing spots or wavy lines).
Preventive medicine might not be right for you if:
- Your headaches are controlled by anti-inflammatories like naproxen and ibuprofen.
- Other health conditions keep you from taking preventive drugs.
- There could be bad interactions with other medicines you take.
- You prefer treatments that don't involve drugs
If you can't take medication or prefer not to, there’s a device worth considering. Cefaly is the first FDA-approved machine that prevents migraines in people over 18. Worn around the forehead, this portable headband-like device gives out electrical impulses. These stimulate a nerve connected with migraines. You’ll feel a tingling sensation and should use it once a day for 20 minutes.
Migraine Drugs and Pregnancy
If you are pregnant, your migraines may ease up during your second and third trimester.
If you have severe migraines, though, your doctor may suggest first trying a non-drug treatment such as biofeedback, relaxation therapy, or stress-management training. He may also recommend a preventive drug that has the lowest risk possible.
Talk to your doctor about your thoughts on taking preventive medications for migraines. Together, you can decide the best approach for your headache problems.
If you are pregnant, your migraines may ease up during your second and third trimester.
If you have severe migraines, though, your doctor may suggest first trying a non-drug treatment such as biofeedback, relaxation therapy, or stress-management training. He may also recommend a preventive drug that has the lowest risk possible.
Talk to your doctor about your thoughts on taking preventive medications for migraines. Together, you can decide the best approach for your headache problems.
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