migraine treatment : discover important headache advice and medication

Migraine headaches affect 26-28 million Americans annually, with women most predominately affected. While there is no cure for migraine headaches, there is treatment available both with and without medicine for those who suffer chronic migraine headaches.

One company that has developed a “natural” OTC medication for migraine headaches is called GelStat Corporation. Their product, GelStat Migraine, has proven 83% effective in recent clinical trials for the treatment of acute or chronic migraine headaches.

Fortunately, most migraine headache sufferers can manage mild-to-moderate attacks at home with the following strategies:

• Using a cold compress to the area of pain
• Resting with pillows comfortably supporting the head or neck
• Resting in a room with little or no sensory stimulation (light, sound, odors)
• Withdrawing from stressful surroundings
• Sleeping
• Drinking a moderate amount of caffeine (this tends to open up the blood vessels, thus allowing your head to relax)
• Trying certain over-the-counter headache medications, such as:
o Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS): These include medications like aspirin, ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil), naproxen (Naprosyn, Aleve), and ketoprofen (Orudis).
o Acetaminophen (Tylenol): Acetaminophen may be safely taken with NSAIDs for an additive effect.
o Combination medications: Some over-the-counter pain relievers have been approved for use with migraine.
These include Excedrin Migraine, which contains acetaminophen and aspirin combined with caffeine. A similar effect can be achieved by taking 2 aspirin or acetaminophen tablets with a cup of black coffee.
Despite medical advances, migraines can be difficult to treat. About half of migraine sufferers stop seeking medical care for their headaches because they are dissatisfied with therapy.
Migraines can be treated with 2 approaches—abortive and preventive.*
• Abortive: The goal of abortive therapy is to prevent a migraine attack or to stop it once it starts. The prescribed medications stop a headache during its prodrome stage or once it has begun and may be taken as needed. Some can be administered as a self-injection into the thigh; others, as a wafer that melts on the tongue. These forms of medication are especially useful for people who vomit during a migraine, and they work quickly.
Abortive treatment medications include the triptans, which specifically target serotonin. They are all very similar in their action and chemical structure. These medications include:

• Sumatriptan (Imitrex)
o Zolmitriptan (Zomig)
o Eletriptan (Relpax)
o Naratriptan (Amerge, Naramig)
o Rizatriptan (Maxalt)
o Frovatriptan (Frova)
o Almotriptan (Axert)

The following drugs are also specific and affect serotonin, but they affect other brain chemicals. Occasionally, one of these drugs works when a triptan does not.

o Ergotamine tartrate (Cafergot)
o Dihydroergotamine (D.H.E. 45 Injection, Migranal Nasal Spray)
o Acetaminophen-isometheptene-dichloralphenazone (Midrin)

The following drugs are mainly used for nausea, but they sometimes have an abortive or preventive effect on headaches:

o Prochlorperazine (Compazine)
o Promethazine (Phenergan)

*As taken from www.emedicinehealth.com

Migraine headache sufferers may not be able to cure migraine headaches, but with education and the ability to recognize an oncoming migraine headache, people can find relief through a variety of different medications and treatments custom designed for them.

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