Migraine Treatments

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By K. Proctor
eHow Contributing Writer

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Migraines are a type of headache known as vascular headaches, meaning they involve the constriction of blood vessels in the head. They can be quite severe and even disabling and may last for several days. If your migraine begins with an aura or other symptoms such as blurred vision, tingling or numbness occurring within a half hour before the beginning of the pain, you probably have what's known as a classic migraine. Common migraines, on the other hand, do not begin with auras. The treatments for migraines discussed in this article should make the pain disappear within 2 to 4 hours--if the pain doesn't go away, your doctor should re-evaluate the treatment.

Early Treatment

The American Headache Society notes that there is a "window of opportunity" during which a migraine will readily respond to medication. This varies from person to person. Doctors advise many patients to start treatment within two hours of the pain's onset rather than ignoring the pain or waiting for the headache to go away on its own.

Analgesics

Doctors sometimes recommend analgesics to take away the acute pain of migraine. Analgesics include aspirin, acetaminophen (Tylenol), naproxen sodium (Alleve) and ibuprofen (Advil). These medications are available over the counter. Medications specifically for migraine relief may come in a mixture of these analgesics and also commonly include caffeine. If you have GERD (gastro-esophageal reflux disease), nasal polyps, kidney disease, or other contraindications for using nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories (NSAIDS), then avoid analgesics. Avoid taking take these migraine headache remedies too frequently, as their overuse can make the pain worse over time.

Ergotamines

Ergotamines are alkaloids that come from ergot and can help treat migraine. These are prescription medications and are administered by mouth, intravenously, rectally, intranasally and other ways. A side effect of ergotamines may be nausea, so these drugs are often prescribed with other anti-nausea drugs.

Triptans

Doctors sometimes prescribe triptans, which are known as selective serotonin receptor agonists, and unlike analgesics, these specifically target migraines. Triptans do not get rid of the pain per se but rather temporarily increase a migraine sufferer's tolerance to pain, especially when taken when the migraine attack is just beginning. There are several different triptans prescribed, including eletriptan, frovatriptan and sumatriptan. Take triptans orally, as nasal sprays or by injection. Possible side effects are sleepiness, tingling, tightness in the chest and throat and flushing.

Other Treatments

Besides medications to bring the migraine attack to an end, other treatments include applying a cold pack to the head, taking a shallow hot bath (sitz bath), rest and avoiding loud noise or bright lights. Massage, acupuncture, movement therapy and biofeedback may also help. Used in tandem with pain medications, these other migraine treatments can help banish the pain of the headache.