Exploring Available Migraine Medications

December 2nd, 2009 | jones | Treating Hemorrhoids

Migraine research has made massive strides in learning what makes these headaches tick, but also in how to prevent and treat them. While many preventive measures are possible, most especially when sufferers can find and eliminate things that trigger the headaches, thus far they can’t be avoided altogether. One of the most important results of all this research is that many excellent migraine medications have been developed. There are over-the-counter drugs for milder forms of the illness, and other heavy-duty forms for the extreme cases.

The first types of medications generally given for migraines are the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, or NSAIDS. These are more familiar to people as acetaminophen, aspirin, ibuprofen and naproxen. They are generally over-the-counter drugs, so people whose migraines tend to be mild can self-prescribe, and sometimes nip the headaches in the bud. Occasionally, when combined with caffeine, these can bring not just migraine relief but also relief from the nausea that tends to accompany this condition.

But when those milder drugs don’t work, that’s when the heavy duty prescription migraine medications are brought in. A type known as triptans, with Sumatriptan being the most common, helps work on the severity of mid-line headaches, and also eases the nausea and light sensitivity that may accompany them. This drug is marketed under names like Imitrex or Imigran. Opiates can be used as migraine drugs too, in very severe or unusual cases, but they are saved for almost a last resort, since they can become addictive. Even certain clinical depression medications can have an effect, though no one yet knows why.

Other treatments involve combining different drugs as medication for migraines, so a drug like Fioricet would have butalbital (a barbiturate) with aspirin, paracetamol (acetaminophen) and caffeine. Severe headaches that don’t respond to drug treatments, called refractory migraines, are sometimes treated intravenously with drugs like Decadron, Phergan, Keppra, and so on. Intravenous treatment aims at rebalancing the internal fluids and electrolytes as well as easing the pain.

In many ways, the common migraine is not common at all, and even after years of research its origins and mechanism remain at least partly mysterious. For this reason, treatment can be somewhat hit-and-miss, and it’s not always easy for doctors to tell which migraine medications are going to have an effect on any individual’s headache. But research continues to be done, and many strides have been made. And now at least there are several available choices of treatments to try, with the hope of greater relief.

If it is insurance that you need, Rene Lacape is the person to look for. He has been in this field for many years and is still in counting. He has dealt with many clients and is proud to say that all of them are very satisfied. If you need him, check his website so you can call him now.