Migraine Pain Relief
The excruciating pain of a migraine is all too familiar to someone who suffers from frequent bouts of migraine headaches. Luckily, today's pharmacology has developed many drugs for migraine pain relief which can alleviate the suffering of the patient and get them beyond the headache and back into life. In addition to relieving pain, many drugs also relieve the nausea and photophobic effects that are brought on by a migraine.
Pain medications for migraines are medications that are taken during acute attacks and are designed to stop symptoms that have already begun. This distinguishes them from preventative medications which are taken on a regular basis to prevent migraine attacks from occurring. There are many classes of medications that provide pain relief from migraine attacks and they are prescribed by doctors based on the patient's history and the frequency and severity of attacks that they experience.
Migraine pain relief can come from many classes of drugs. For the best results, it is best to take pain relievers as soon as you feel the symptoms of a migraine coming on. It may also help if you rest in a dark room after taking the medications. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) are commonly prescribed pain relievers for people with migraines. There are over-the-counter varieties of NSAIDs as well which may be suitable for pain relief. If taken for too long, NSAIDS can lead to ulcers, gastrointestinal bleeding and rebound headaches. Therefore, there are side effects to watch out for.
Triptans are becoming the medication of choice for people who suffer from migraines. They offer effective migraine pain relief along with relief of other symptoms such as photosensitivity, nausea and sensitivity to sound. In recent studies, it was shown that sumatriptan administered with naproxen sodium was more effective than either of these drugs alone, and there may be a combination version of this on the market soon.
Other choices for migraine pain reliever include ergots, anti-nausea medication, the sedative butalbital, and opiates. These all work well on the pain of a migraine although some may have a risk of dependence and are not indicated for long-term use. Migraine symptoms can come on fast, and that is why many treatments have fast acting formulations to bring relief instantly such as nasal sprays or quickly dissolving tablets. The quicker the medication can get into the bloodstream, the faster the relief of the migraine pain can begin. It is fortunate that there are so many pain relief options available for migraine sufferers today.