Migraine Prevention:
Your provider might suggest avoiding medications for migraines when you’re pregnant or if you think you may be pregnant. Some medications can negatively affect the fetus’s development. You and your healthcare provider will discuss the specific medication, this page combination of medications and formulations to best manage your symptoms. All medications should be used under the direction of a headache specialist or provider. As with any medication, it’s important to carefully follow your provider’s instructions.
According to the Mayo Clinic, oral contraceptives and hormone replacement therapy (HRT) may increase the frequency and severity of migraines. Some women may find relief by switching to another form of birth control, while others may find they have fewer migraines while taking birth control. These newer medications are used for both episodic and chronic my sources. They are thought to help prevent migraine episodes by binding or blocking CGRP proteins from activating in your body, which helps manage some migraine symptoms. There are several procedures that are used to prevent migraine headaches. These are generally indicated if you have refractory migraines, which are migraines that don’t improve with preventive treatments or treatments that are usually used to stop a migraine.
Attacks during pregnancy need special attention to make sure that the cause of the attack is understood. Migraine is a neurological condition that typically causes painful headache attacks that occur with additional symptoms, such as sensitivity to light, sound, smell, or touch. This article reviews the evidence base for the preventive treatment of migraine. To treat severe migraines, you might need rescue medications that stop a migraine in their tracks after they’ve started or take preventive medicines that keep them at bay. Talk to your doctor about the pros and cons of taking preventive medications for migraine. Certain supplements have been shown to aid in migraine prevention including magnesium, riboflavin, coenzyme-Q10 and melatonin.
Make sure you’re drinking enough water, and never skip a meal. Ask your doctor if this class of medications is right to treat your migraine symptoms and what you can expect with treatment. The 2018 review suggests a dosage of 600 milligrams (mg) of magnesium citrate for acute migraine prevention. People can also take a lower daily dose to help manage their magnesium levels.
High-frequency episodic migraine means you have eight to 14 migraine headache days per month. This condition also makes you more likely than others to develop chronic migraine. Most migraine headaches last about 4 hours, but severe ones can go for more than 3 days. Some people may get migraine headaches every few days, while others get them once or twice a year. Mounting evidence suggests there may be a connection between migraine and mental health. Anxiety disorders and depression are two of the most commonly reported mental illnesses among people who are diagnosed with migraine.
They can interfere with your daily routine and affect your ability to meet personal and social obligations. Researchers are studying the role of serotonin in migraines. Other neurotransmitters play a role in the pain of migraine, including calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP). You should also develop a support system to lean on when a migraine strikes. You may be limited in what you’re able to do while dealing with migraine pain, and support from others is a powerful coping tool.
There are a wide array of preventive treatments that can help patients reduce the frequency and intensity of their migraine attacks, and lessen the chance of overusing acute treatments. These range from oral medications to lifestyle modifications to nutraceuticals. Learn more about what to consider when prescribing preventive treatments for your patients. In the guideline, studies of aspirin had conflicting results. Since the original report, two additional class II studies have been reported.
Keep in mind that migraines can be caused by medication, including drugs to treat headache. In some cases, chronic migraine and medication overuse headache (MOH) are now co-diagnosed together. Taking a ginger supplement may help reduce migraine symptoms.
CGRP (calcitonin gene-related peptide) is a molecule involved in causing migraine pain. CGRP inhibitors are a new class of drugs that block the effects of CGRP. The ones approved to prevent migraine attacks that are taken by pill every day or every other day are atogepant (Qulipta) and rimegepant sulfate (Nurtec). While an essential part of any treatment plan, acute migraine treatments can lead to medication overuse headache (previously known as rebound headache) if used too frequently. A preventive strategy focuses on preventing migraine; reducing the frequency, severity or intensity of attacks; and improving responsiveness to acute medications when needed.
Work with your provider to find the right strategy for you based on your migraine symptoms, any other health conditions you have and medications you’ve already tried, plus any side effects you’ve experienced. Antiepileptic drugs are increasingly recommended for migraine prevention because of well-conducted placebo-controlled trials (Table 2-4). There are numerous possible preventive treatments for migraine, and the best type may be different for each individual. Doctors may recommend avoiding triggers, taking supplements, and trying medications.
That’s because caffeine can help control and prevent migraines. But for some people, ingesting caffeine actually induces migraines. Given how debilitating they can be, preventing migraines is the goal of anyone who experiences reference them. But prevention strategies can be particularly important if your migraines tend to be severe or last for several days, or if your migraine medication produces intolerable side effects or proves ineffective for you.