Headache Fact Sheets 3 | National Headache Foundation

Abortive Drugs for Migraine

Medications taken to stop or abort a migraine attack. Some abortive drugs for migraine include: Ergot Based: Cafergot®, Ercaf®, Ergomar® Phenothiazines/nausea medications: domperidone, prochlorperazine, metoclopramide Dihydoergotamine: DHE-45®, Migranal® Anti-Inflammatory: aspirin, ibuprofen, naproxen sodium, meclofenamate Analgesic Combinations: Excedrin® Migraine, Midrin® Triptans: Amerge®, Maxalt®,…

Spinal Tap (Lumbar Puncture)

Spinal fluid surrounds and protects the nervous system, including the spinal cord, and generally maintains a specific level of pressure. If the pressure is too high, or too low, it can cause headaches. Infections in the brain often require a…

Sexual Benign Headaches

Headaches can be associated with sexual activity, especially with orgasm. There are two types of these headaches. In the first type, the excitement accompanying intercourse causes muscle contraction in the head and neck, thus leading to head pain. The second…

Pregnancy and Migraine

Approximately 80% of women who have migraine stop having migraine attacks from the end of the third month of pregnancy until delivery. This is believed to be due to hormonal stability. During pregnancy, medication use is discouraged unless absolutely necessary….

Ocular Migraine

Ocular migraine is a term which may have different meanings to different physicians. Many times migraineurs will have just the visual warning signs or aura of their migraine attack without the headache. This occurs more frequently as one gets older…

Ophthalmoplegic Migraine

Ophthalmoplegic migraine is a rare condition considered to be an unusual form of migraine, new considered to be a neuralgia. The pain usually surrounds the eyeball and lasts from a few days to a few months, caused by weakness of…

Nerve Block

A nerve block is the injection of a local anesthetic (numbing) drug around a nerve, temporarily inactivating it. This procedure is usually used for the treatment of pain, chronic pain, dental work, or suturing lacerations. In headache treatment, occipital nerve blocks,…

Basilar Migraine

Basilar migraine is a rare form of migraine with aura. The aura symptoms come from the brainstem or both sides of the brain. Whether or not the basilar artery to the back of the brain is involved is uncertain. It most…

Complicated Migraine

The term “complicated migraine” is no longer used. It commonly referred to attacks of prolonged aura symptoms that could last hours to days or opthalmoplegic migraine where patients developed a partial or complete paralysis of the nerves that are needed…

Facial Pain

Chronic facial pain can be very confusing both to the patient and healthcare provider. This can be direct pain – involving nerves that supply the face or indirect (referred) pain from other structures in the head such as blood vessels….

Exertional Headaches

Exertional headaches are a group of headache syndromes, which are associated with some physical activity. These headaches typically become severe very quickly after a strenuous activity such as weight lifting or sexual intercourse. Exertional headaches can, in some instances, be…

Caffeine

Caffeine is one of several compounds that are naturally occurring stimulants in certain foods and beverages. It is found naturally and as an additive in coffee, tea, cola, certain soft drinks, and some pain relieving and migraine abortive medications. Caffeine is…

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