Treatment of migraine

The best way to manage your migraine is to avoid any factors that may trigger your migraine episode. The treatment is done either symptomatically (treatment that brings about alleviations of the symptoms of migraine, such as pain) or prophylactically (treatment which is aimed at preventing or slowing the course of a disease).

Symptomatic therapy

During acute attacks, you may find it helpful to rest in a quiet, darkened room until symptoms subside. Simple analgesics, such as aspirin, ibuprofen, acetaminophen, or naproxen taken right away are helpful in removing the pain.

Sometimes, you have to take medicines that will constrict the blood vessels in the head. A combination of ergotamine tartrate (1 mg) and caffeine (100 mg) [VASOGRAIN, MIGRIL] is often helpful. Since gastric slowing causes delayed or poor absorption of medicines, sometimes rectal preparations or intramuscular injections are required.

Triptans are another class of drugs that are given as intramuscular injections, nasal sprays and oral tablets. Sumatriptan [SUMINAT, SUMISUN, SUMITREX] is a rapidly acting agent to abort migraine attacks. Zolmitriptan [ZOLMIST] is another agent that is also very effective and can be taken in the form of tablets. It should be however taken care of that their use may cause nausea and vomiting. It should not be taken if you are pregnant, have high blood pressure, diabetes mellitus, obesity or any other heart disease.

The neuroleptic drug (tranquilizers used to treat psychotic conditions when calming effect is required)  droperidol [DROPEROL] is also helpful in removing the pain and other symptoms.

Prophylactic therapy

If your migraine episodes are frequent in nature and occur more than 2-3 times in a month, then this preventive therapy is required for you. They act on the brain and blood vessels in the brain or by acting against the chemical messenger, serotonin released in the brain from nerves. They have to be used for several months, till the episodes stop and then the dose may be lowered.

Some drugs used in this case are propranolol, amitriptyline, imipramine, clonidine and verapamil.

Natural therapy

• Acupressure or massage therapy has been found to be somewhat effective in the treatment of migraines.
• Acupuncture is a well-known therapy, which is prophylactic treatment of migraines. It aims at removing the causes by regularizing the blood flow to brain.

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