Options for Treating and Preventing Migraine Headaches

Migraine Tegan Parry

Treatment Options

Migraines can be treated with two types of drugs: abortive and preventive.

Abortive: The goal of abortive treatment is to stop a migraine once it starts. Abortive medications stop a migraine when you feel one coming or once it has begun. Abortive medications can be taken by self-injection, mouth, skin patch, or nasal spray. These forms of medication are especially useful for people who have nausea or vomiting related to their migraines, and they work quickly.

Abortive treatments include the triptans and ditans, which specifically target serotonin. They are all very similar in their action and chemical structure. The triptans are used only to treat headaches and do not relieve pain from back problems, arthritis, menstruation, or other conditions. People with certain medical conditions should not take these medications.

Almotriptan (Axert)
Eletriptan (Relpax)
Frovatriptan (Frova)
Naratriptan (Amerge)
Rizatriptan (Maxalt)
Sumatriptan ( Alsuma, Imitrex, Onzetra, Sumavel, Zembrace)
Zolmitriptan (Zomig) [2]

Tegan Parry November 29, 2020

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