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Medicines Used for Migraine Headaches

Migraine headaches are a common, chronic type of headache characterized by severe pain which can last for hours or days. Side effects of migraines include nausea and vomiting, sensitivity to light and sound and tingling in the arm or leg. There is no known cure for migraine headaches but there are medicines available to reduce their severity and frequency.

  1. Causes

    • Abnormal brain activity causes migraine headaches, but it's not clear what causes the abnormality. Migraines can be triggered by stress, environmental factors and food.

    Medicine Types

    • Migraine headaches are treated with pain relieving medicines which should be taken as soon as symptoms begin, and preventive medicines which reduce the frequency, severity and length of migraines.

    Pain Relievers

    • Pain relievers used to treat migraine headaches include anti-nausea medicines, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, opiates such as codeine, and triptans such as Imitrex for severe migraines.

    Preventive Medicines

    • Medicines such as beta blockers, antidepressants, anti-seizure drugs, and botox have been used to prevent migraine headaches. Doctors sometimes use the antihistamine cyproheptadine as a preventive treatment for children with migraines.

    Natural Alternatives

    • The herbs feverfew and butterbur are used to treat the frequency and severity of migraine headaches. Other natural migraine treatments include vitamin B-2, coenzyme Q10 and oral magnesium sulfate supplements.

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