subject: All About Migraine Medications [print this page] There are so many migraine medications available! What provides migraine relief and what's the difference between them all? Let this article be your guide as we try to make sense of migraine medications such as painkillers and abortive easy to understand, so you can get STOP your pain!
This article will cover medications made to stop your headache or migraine after it starts. These types of migraine medications are called abortive or acute medicines. These include headache painkillers, specific ones for migraine, others for various types of headache.
Triptans or Designer migraine medications include brand names like Maxalt, Amerge, Zomig, Frova and Imitrex. These types of medication are especially for migraine and act on serotonin receptors. They stop inflammation and also constrict the blood vessels that expand during an attack of migraine.
A miracle drug for some, Triptans do certainly work wonders. They are very effective at relieving pain but they also help other migraine problems like nausea and drowsiness. These types of Migraine medications can be utilized with a pill, nasal spray or injection.
Painkillers used for headaches are also a type of migraine medication. Common brands are Aspirin, Advil, Motrin and Naproxen. Often referred to as NSAID which means nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. The aim of these drugs is to reduce inflammation and increase pain thresholds so migraines do not bother you so much.
As with any migraine medications always be sure to check with your doctor about your medical history and any other drugs. This is particularly important with NSAIDs as only one type should be taken at any one time and they can result in what is called a rebound headache. This means your body gets used to the medication and if you don't take them you may get a headache. You should also not take them if you are pregnant as they can increase the risk of miscarriage. And certain ones taken on a long term basis can result in stomach issues.
The heavyweights of the migraine medications are the narcotics. Such names as codeine, Demerol, Stadol and Dolophine. These are commonly given through injections, although tablets and nasal sprays can also be used.
These strong drugs are given to battle bad pain. They are strictly for use under medical supervision and with caution. These are highly addictive substances and the body will require higher and higher dose for effect as it becomes used to it. This can lead to dangerous effects. They are best utilized by individuals with infrequent migraines or whose migraines are so bad they end up in hospital.
It is important to discuss anything regarding your migraine medication with your medical doctor. The previous paragraphs detail abortive therapies to help with headaches once they have started. But some people prefer prevention instead of cure. Make sure you look into preventative migraine options which can decrease frequency and intensity of migraine episodes.
