What is the best cure for migraine?
Migraines can be prevented with medications and by avoiding triggers and incorporating lifestyle changes.
The best cure for migraine involves preventive medications and lifestyle changes. Some newer medications and therapies are effective in controlling the symptoms of migraine. Avoiding or controlling triggers may provide considerable benefit. Migraine can be prevented mainly by
- Daily use of medications
- Avoiding triggers
- Lifestyle changes
What is migraine?
Migraine is a chronic disease characterized by recurrent, intense, throbbing pain on either one side or both sides of the head. Most people with migraine feel the pain in one eye or ear or the temples.
Migraine can occur at any time of the day, although in some cases, it usually starts in the morning. Pain may last for a few hours or up to one to two days. The frequency of a migraine attack varies from individual to individual. In some, it may occur once or twice a week, whereas in others it may occur once or twice a year. Migraine significantly diminishes the quality of life.
Migraine is the third most prevalent disease and affects one billion people worldwide.
What are the medications that are useful in migraine?
Migraine medications do not cure migraine; instead, they treat or relieve the symptoms. Migraine can be treated using over-the-counter (OTC) painkillers or prescription medications, which include
- Pain medications: OTC medications such as aspirin or Advil (ibuprofen) are useful in relieving pain.
- Triptans: Imitrex (sumatriptan) or Maxalt (rizatriptan) are prescription drugs used for migraine.
- Reyvow (lasmiditan): This is a new oral tablet used for the treatment of migraine. Lasmiditan has been effective in relieving pain.
- Ubrelvy (ubrogepant): This is an oral calcitonin gene-related peptide receptor antagonist useful for the treatment of acute migraine with or without aura.
- Opioid medications: Narcotic medications that contain codeine are effective in treating migraine.
- Antiemetic drug: Reglan (metoclopramide) and Compro (prochlorperazine) are useful in treating nausea and vomiting accompanying the migraine.
Which preventive medications are useful in the treatment of migraine?
Individuals experiencing frequent headaches or headaches lasting for a long time may require preventive medications. Different medications used as preventive medications involve
- Blood pressure medications such as Inderal (propranolol), Corgard (nadolol), Covera (verapamil) and flunarizine
- Antiseizure medications such as Topamax (topiramate), Neurontin (gabapentin) and Depakote (divalproex sodium)
- Antidepressant medications such as amitriptyline and nortriptyline
- Botox injections such as Onabotulinium toxin A may be useful in patients who experience 15 headache days every month.
- Calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) receptor antagonists such as Aimovig (erenumab), Ajovy (fremanezumab) and Emgality (galcanezumab) are beneficial to reduce migraine frequency. These medications are injected monthly or quarterly.
Which new devices are useful in the treatment of migraine?
There are now four new devices that allow patients to self-administer electrical stimulation to the vagus nerve, which has proven to be effective in treating migraine and cluster headaches.
- Cefaly: This device is worn as a headband around the forehead. The headband is connected to the electrode and then to the forehead for about 20 minutes.
- GammaCore: This device uses electrodes to send signals to the vagus nerves.
- Single-pulse transcranial magnetic stimulation (sTMS): This device sends a magnetic pulse that excites a part of the brain.
- Nerivio: This device transmits electrical pulses to the vagus nerve at the start of a migraine headache. It is worn on the arm.
What are some of the lifestyle changes useful in the treatment of migraine?
Some lifestyle changes that can help prevent the attack include
- Staying hydrated
- Maintaining a healthy diet
- Exercising regularly but avoiding exertion
- Keeping track of all the triggers
- Taking preventive medicines to avoid migraine headaches around the time of periods
- Eating at regular intervals
- Reducing stress
- Avoiding foods that trigger attacks
- Rubbing or applying pressure to the spot where you feel pain
- Placing a cold cloth on the head during a headache
- Getting counseling sessions