Dr. Lawrence Goldberg, a migraine neurological specialist, suggests that in the United States, migraines cost approximately $15 billion a year to treat. Abortive and preventative treatments contribute equally to annual cost estimates and include diagnostic lab tests, emergency room visits, and medications. Lost work productivity contributes to several billion dollars of indirect migraine cost per year. Thus, it is surprising that Novartis recently produced the first U.S. Food and Drug Administration-approved over-the counter remedy for migraines, Excedrin Migraine.
Identification
Migraines consist of four unique phases: predrome or onset of symptoms, auras, headache and prodrome or recovery from symptoms. Excedrin Migraine only treats the pain associated with the headache phase of the migraine. Treatment of any other symptoms will require additional medications or therapeutic strategies to treat. Excedrin Migraine has three primary ingredients: caffeine, acetaminophen and aspirin. The National Institute of Health describes caffeine as a neurological stimulant that assists cellular uptake of aspirin and acetaminophen, whereas aspirin improves blood circulation by preventing blood vessel dilation and blood clots by stopping moderate blood coagulation. Acetaminophen alleviates fever and pain to lead to early abortion of the migraine headache phase.
Benefits
The World Health Organization lists migraines as a top 25 disability inducing disease while the National Headache Foundation approximates that over 30 million people suffer from migraines in the United States alone. Effective migraine pain relief has the potential to lower the rise of migraine medical cost as the National Migraine Association indicated a 60 percent rise in reports of debilitating migraine pain from 1998 to 2008. Typical migraine symptoms other than pain are often auditory or visual disturbances that do not impede every day function, thus Excedrin Migraine has the potential to restore billions of dollars worth of indirect employment costs.
Typical Side Effects
The National Institute of Health and the Mayo Clinic list several abdominal side effects associated with acetaminophen and aspirin use in any drug form, including Excedrin Migraine. Cramps, vomiting, diarrhea, and nausea are typical examples. Skin irritation, such as hives, ulcers, itching and rashes, are common side effects of Excedrin Migraine.
Atypical Side Effects
Atypical side effects include abdominal swelling, which requires immediate medical care. Red or white pigmentation abnormalities across the skin are possible. Fortunately, the Mayo Clinic indicates that all skin abnormalities should be reversible upon discontinuation of Excedrin Migraine. Although reduced blood clotting has the benefit of reducing pain from vessel swelling, it also can lead to severe irregular internal bleeding that requires immediate medical care. Bloody stool or urine is a clear indication of this problem, according to the National Institute of Health.
Warnings
Excedrin Migraine should not be given to any children or adolescents unless under direct medical supervision. Aspirin, prevalent in Excedrin Migraine, can cause Reye's syndrome in people under 18. The Mayo Clinic describes Reye's syndrome as a fast, serious condition that causes organ swelling and eventual death.
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