How to Use Prescription Drugs to Treat Migraines

Migraines are usually identified with headache pain, nausea and sensitivity to light and sound. Symptoms can be treated or prevented with common analgesics, such as aspirin and ibuprofen, and more migraine-specific drugs, such as triptans. Triptans reduce swelling in blood vessels in the brain, the supposed cause of migraines. Read on to learn how to use prescription drugs to treat migraines.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Choose the Right Medication

1. Prepare to see a headache specialist by detailing your full medication regimen. Migraines may coexist with other health conditions, such as depression or obesity, which will require effective medication management.

2. Keep a migraine diary or make a list of your migraine medication history. Your doctor will need to know which treatments you use and which have shown success or failure.

3. Determine the best prescription medication to treat migraines with your doctor. Have him outline all the side effects before choosing the medication you will take.

Treat Migraines as Prescribed

4. Read about the drugs your doctor prescribes to treat your migraine disease so you can take them correctly. Read product details in "Best Choices from the People's Pharmacy." See the Resources section below for a link.

5. Take prescription drugs exactly as directed and note their effect. Put this in your migraine diary as well.

6. Monitor your reaction to the drugs and how effective they are in preventing or reducing the severity of your migraine attacks over time. Share this information with your doctor.

Tips & Warnings

• Only trust a headache specialist or other doctor for a correct diagnosis and for prescription medication.
• Sometimes, your psychiatrist can prescribe migraine medication as a complementary treatment to mental health care.
• Triptans come in oral, nasal or injectable form. Keep in mind that these medications can be very expensive without prescription drug coverage.
• Use all medications as directed and be sure to adhere to any dosage times. This could affect the outcome of your treatment.
• Triptans should not be taken by those with heart conditions. Ask your doctor to weigh the risks.

Resources

• More Details in Best Choices From the People's Pharmacy

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