Migraine

Treatment

Migraine can be effectively managed. This involves taking medications to prevent and treat migraine attacks and making lifestyle adjustments to avoid migraine triggers , like having regular sleep patterns, eating a healthy diet and taking regular exercise. During an attack, people often obtain some comfort from reclining in a darkened, quiet room. After careful clinical assessment to establish the diagnosis, patients should be reassured that their symptoms, although distressing, are benign and that long-term prognosis and life expectancy are good.

The pharmacological treatment may be divided into acute treatment of the migraine attack and prophylactic/preventative treatments.

Acute treatments include paracetamol, aspirin and other Non steroidal anti inflammatory agents (NSAIDs), triptans and ergot derivatives.

• Painkillers such as aspirin or ibuprofen can be taken combined with anti-emetics which help to stop the vomiting associated with some migraine attacks, but if this does not control the pain, a physician should prescribe more specific antimigraine pain control medication.

Acute drug treatments that are specific to the treatment of migraine attacks include:

• Serotonin agonists
  These help to stop the cranial blood vessels from increasing in diameter and getting inflamed, and they block the liberation of neurotransmitters responsible for producing changes in the cranial blood vessels.

• Ergot derivatives
  These act in a similar way to the serotonin agonists but they are less specific.

Some people have a high frequency of attacks in which case prophylactic/preventative treatment may be necessary. These include beta blockers, sodium valproate, tricyclic antidepressants, NSAIDs, certain calcium antagonists and serotonin antagonists.

However, it is important not to take more medication than has been prescribed by the physician, as taking too much medication can worsen the frequency and severity of headaches.

Last updated: 20.12.2011