Varieties of Migraine Treatment

Sometimes a person’s migraine treatment lies partly in their own hands. There can be all the migraine specialists and researchers in the world, all exploring causes, drugs and treatments, but there’s one line of defense that can only be enforced by the actual migraine sufferer. And that is the process of discovering what foods or other triggers might bring on their headaches, and eliminating those things as much as possible.

But when the headache strikes, steps need to be taken to bring relief, which is where some migraine drugs enter the picture. The non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen, can help to some degree, though they work only with mild migraines. A group of drugs known as triptans have a better effect as a treatment for migraines, although they too have some limitations and may not work as well with extreme headaches. When heavy duty treatment is needed, doctors may combine medications, such as barbiturates, acetylsalicylic acid (i.e. Aspirin) and caffeine. A Sumatriptan/Naproxen Sodium combination has recently been shown to be very effective.

Some chemicals have an unexpected role in migraine treatment. One reason why people feel nauseous during a migraine is that their stomach doesn’t empty as quickly as normal. This also means that when they take medication, it doesn’t get into their system as quickly as it otherwise might. Caffeine can help reverse this effect, so it’s used during an attack even though it’s actually to be avoided as a potential trigger before the headache arrives. Another unusual treatment that has been employed recently is botox injections in the forehead and scalp. A migraine is not a stress headache as such, but the tension in the scalp can make the migraine more intense.

Migraine specialists often tend to think in terms of medical solutions alone, but many people also swear by herbal migraine remedies, such as feverfew or Coenzyme Q10 supplements. The latter has been acknowledged, even by strictly medical practitioners, as something that has been shown to help. The person who is afflicted with a migraine might not particularly care where their migraine treatment comes from, just so long as it does something to ease their condition. Medical or herbal, wherever a cure or effective treatment can be found, it’s all good.

Beth Kaminski is the co-author of Curing Your Anxiety And Panic Attacks which detailed treating panic disorder as well as tips on the various anxiety disorder medications available at anxietydisordercure.com.