Migraine Medication Names:
There are many possible drugs for treating migraine headaches. These broadly include medications for treating symptoms as they occur and those for preventing migraine from happening. Antidepressants often work to increase the availability of serotonin in the brain. Some of these drugs could also help to prevent migraine headaches. Examples include amitriptyline (Elavil) and venlafaxine (Effexor). Patients should meet with their health care provider to figure out which treatment options are right for them.
Beta blockers are oral medications taken once a day and are generally very cost-effective compared to CGRP antagonists. The most common side effects of beta blockers can include fatigue, advice nausea, dizziness, and depression. Beta blockers may be preferred in migraine sufferers who also have underlying cardiovascular disease or hypertension (high blood pressure).
For more information on alternative migraine treatments, visit our Resource Library. While migraine is a common disease that affects 39 million Americans, no two migraine experiences are the same. Symptoms can vary from light sensitivity and dizziness to food cravings or body chills. Explore these Frequently Asked Questions about migraine advice symptoms to see if you might be experiencing migraine. We recommend taking a look at our patient guides, which include useful information like how to talk to your doctor about migraine. It’s critical to have a support network of understanding people who can not only check in on you but also empathize with your experience.
In some people, migraines are preceded by visual disturbances known as auras that may include flashing lights, zigzag lines, or temporary blindness. Drugs.com provides accurate and independent information on more than 24,000 prescription drugs, over-the-counter medicines and natural products. This material is provided for educational purposes only and is not intended for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.
It is provided in an autoinjector device designed to be self-administered as a subcutaneous injection in the upper arm, abdomen, or thigh. Aimovig has been shown to significantly decrease the occurrence of migraines in patients who experience episodic or chronic migraines. In 2018, the FDA approved the first calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) inhibitors.
Learn how these common therapies can help you manage migraine. Light sensitivity is a common symptom of migraine (as is sensitivity to sounds or smells), but not everyone who has the disease will experience it. Identify other symptoms of migraine and find answers to Frequently Asked Questions to help you start the conversation about migraine with your primary care provider. In addition to treating depression, antidepressants’such as amitriptyline and venlafaxine’can be an effective preventive treatment for migraine. Acute medications are taken on an as-needed basis at the first sign of a migraine attack. Once a patient suspects an impending migraine attack, he or she can take an acute medication to stop the migraine as early and quickly as possible.
Side effects may include drowsiness, weight gain, dizziness, and dry mouth. Antidepressants are not an acceptable option for patients who take monoamine oxidase inhibitor drugs (MAOIs). However, if taken too frequently, both the nonprescription and prescription acute medications may lead to medication-overuse headaches. Preventive migraine drugs are used to reduce the frequency, duration, and intensity of migraine attacks, but they aren’t right for everyone.
Generally, they’re repeated every three months, and can be costly. They can cause birth defects and heart problems, and are toxic in high doses. Gepant CGRP AntagonistsThe gepants are small molecule CGRP antagonists that can be administered orally.
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Luckily, there are other options for prevention or treatment of migraines. New, promising treatment options are coming out, and these breakthroughs offer hope for better migraine symptom relief and prevention. Fever isn’t a common part of migraine attacks, but having a fever with a headache or other migraine symptoms could be a sign of an underlying illness…. Many people find that their headaches go away completely after they take sumatriptan. Other people find that their headaches are much less painful, and that they are able to go back to their normal activities even though their headaches are not completely gone. Sumatriptan often relieves other symptoms that occur together with a migraine headache, such as nausea, vomiting, sensitivity to light, and sensitivity to sound.