Migraine headaches are more than just simple headaches. They can cause vomiting and nausea and make it difficult to even open your eyes to light or hear any noise at all. Migraines are common, striking as many as 11 out of every 100 people, says the U.S. National Library of Medicine. Migraine triggers are different for everyone but often include certain foods or alcohol, strenuous exercise, hormonal changes, changes in sleep or overstimulation of the senses.
Although it's best to try to prevent migraines--and often you can--sometimes they strike anyway. Luckily, there are a number of different medications available that can help to ease migraine pain.
Triptans
Triptans are some of the most commonly prescribed, and most effective, migraine medications. These include the drugs Relpax (eletriptan), Axert (almotriptan), Zomig (zolmitriptan), Maxalt (rizatriptan), Imitrex (sumatriptan) and Frova (frovatriptan). Triptans can alleviate migraine headaches, as well as symptoms of nausea and sensitivity, by narrowing the blood vessels. Therefore they are not recommended for people who have an increased risk of stroke or heart attack, says the Mayo Clinic.
NSAIDs
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are available over-the-counter and can help to manage milder migraine pain. These include aspirin and ibuprofen, which are generally safe to take. However, if you take NSAIDs consistently over many years, side effects like ulcers, bleeding of the intestinal tract and more headaches may result. Migraine-specific medications sold over-the-counter, like Excedrin Migraine, include a mixture of aspirin, acetaminophen and caffeine, and they may be effective against slightly more powerful migraine headaches. But none of these medications typically work against severe migraine pain.
Ergots
These medications include ergotamine (Migergot), ergotamine with caffeine (brand name Cafergot) and dihydroergotamine (Migranal). These medications are inexpensive and not as effective as triptans, but seem to be most effective against migraine pain that persists for at least 2 days.
Other Medications
Narcotic medications can help alleviate migraine pain that can't be successfully treated with any other method. Since they're addictive, they're not recommended as a first-line treatment. Butalbital is a sedative medication that is often combined with an NSAID in medications to alleviate migraine pain (Phrenlin Forte, Butapap). But these medications can result in additional headaches and symptoms when the medication is stopped. Anti-nausea medications are often prescribed for people whose migraines also have symptoms of vomiting and nausea.
Alternative Options
There are many different medications available to treat migraine pain, and even more that can help to prevent it. Everything from hypertension medications (like calcium channel blockers and beta blockers) to anti-seizure medications to antidepressants may be prescribed to prevent or manage migraine pain. If you suffer from migraine headaches, it's important to talk to your doctor about ways to manage your migraine pain. With all the medication possibilities out there, it's important to keep trying until you find relief for your migraine pain.
