Medications & Migraines

Many times the first course of treatment for any individual who steps into a physician’s office or perhaps the emergency room suffering from migraine pain is the use of prescription medications in order to help relieve the symptoms that they are experiencing during their migraine attack. While the use of these medications is most certainly at times necessary it is important that chronic migraine pain sufferers are aware of the pros and cons to each of the commonly used medications so that a decision on treatment for their migraine pain can be made. The use of the most of these medications for a one time occurrence probably isn’t that big of a deal, but the majority of the migraine pain medications that are used shouldn’t be used on a regular basis because of the many negative side effects that are caused by them, or the fact that many of the prescription medications used for migraine pain can become habit forming. When speaking of medications for the treatment of migraine pain we are not speaking of simple over the counter medications such as Aspirin, Acetaminophen, Ibuprofen, or Naproxen, as these over the counter medications do not usually help in providing relief from migraine pain. What is referred to in this article is the use of prescription migraine pain treatment and knowing the pros and cons associated with each one.

Preventative Medications

For individuals who experience migraine pain and do not respond to over the counter pain medicine or to prescription pain medications often times preventative medications are prescribed. The most commonly used preventative medications for migraine pain are cardiovascular drugs, Antidepressants, as well as Anti-seizure medications. The pros of using preventative medications for migraine pain are that these medications can help to reduce the frequency, severity, and even length of the migraine pain attacks. However these medications do not always work completely and they can cause negative side effects such as drowsiness, lightheadedness, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, cramps, diarrhea, and even hair loss.

Pain Relieving Medications

Medications that are used once migraine pain has begun are medications like Triptans, Ergots, Anti-nausea medications, Opiates, as well as Dexamethasone. The prose of using the migraine pain medications is that they will help to stop the symptoms of migraine pain fairly quickly when taken as soon as the migraine has begun. However, the cons of these medications is that many of them do cause negative side effects  such as nausea, dizziness, muscle weakness, and they are not usually recommended for use by those who might be at risk for strokes and/or hear attacks. Some of the commonly used migraine pain medications can also be extremely habit forming.

What are my other Options?

If an individual chooses to weigh out the pros versus the cons on using the commonly prescribed medications for migraine treatment then they could become quickly discouraged once knowledge about the side effects and habit forming nature of these medications is revealed. However, there is good news for individuals who wish to find relief from migraine pain without the use of prescription medications. There are many other options for treating migraine pain that do not use prescription medications, but instead use alternate forms of treatment, therapies, or supplements that will aid in decreasing migraine pain without the worry of side effects or habit forming tendencies. A few of the most commonly used alternatives to medications for migraine pain are listed below:

• Massage therapy is an excellent form of migraine pain treatment. When administered through a licensed massage therapist, massage can help to relieve both tension and migraine headaches that can be prompted by stress and/or tension. Massaging the head, neck, shoulders, and back muscles can help to increase blood flow to those areas which aids in relieving muscle tension. Relieving muscle tension can help to relieve migraine pain.
• Chiropractic care is another alternative form of treating migraine pain. Chiropractic care uses spinal manipulation or adjustments in order to better align the vertebrae in the neck and spine to help provide relief from migraine pain. Research has shown that chiropractic care can be as effective (if not more) than the use of prescription medications when it comes to relieving migraine pain.
• Acupuncture is another alternative therapy that can be used for migraine pain treatment. It is important that a properly trained professional administer this type of therapy, however this ancient form of Chinese “medicine” has been used for centuries to help provide migraine pain relief.
• Biofeedback is also an alternative therapy which has been proven successful in providing migraine pain relief. Studies have shown that the use of biofeedback for migraine pain can produce results for long term relief of migraine pain.
• Supplements are an excellent alternative to the use of prescription medications for migraine pain treatment.  Supplements can provide relief from migraine pain as well as prevention in many cases without any of the negative side effects or habit forming tendencies that prescription medication carry with them. Some of the most commonly used supplements for the treatment of migraine pain are Magnesium, Vitamin B-12, Coenzyme Q10, as well as 5-Hydroxytryptophan.

Tags: herbal supplements, Migraine Medications, Migraine Support Formula, Prescription medication, side effects, Triptans