medications | National Headache Foundation

Study Determines Most Effective Migraine Medications

February 24, 2015

Several medications were recently deemed the most effective for treating acute migraine, including triptans, dihydroergotamine (DHE), nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS), butorphanol nasal spray, and the combination medication of sumatriptan/naproxen and acetaminophen/aspirin/caffein). Several other migraine medications were considered “probably effective” or…

Reader's Mail: Complex Headache Picture Requires a Headache Specialist

September 15, 2014

Q. My father has a variety of medical conditions, including Parkinson’s disease and diabetes. He has severe headaches almost every day. His doctors continue to prescribe more and more medications, which are not working. He has had every test imaginable…

Opioids Prescribed Too Often for Migraine Treatment in the ER

May 15, 2014

When people living with migraine head to the emergency room seeking pain relief, more than 50% of the time they receive opioids, a new study has found, and headache experts are voicing concern. “That opioids are used 50% of the…

Electrical Nerve Stimulation Proves Beneficial For Some Migraines

May 15, 2014

A handheld device that delivers electrical stimulation to the vagus nerve is showing promise treating different types of migraine. Patients who use the device, gammaCore, hold it against their necks. The mild electrical signal it produces travels through the skin…

Blood Pressure Medication Provides Migraine Relief

February 15, 2014

The high blood pressure medication candesartan (Atacand) appears to be as effective as the more commonly prescribed medication propranolol (Inderal) in preventing migraine attacks. Many doctors already prescribe candesartan for migraine prevention, but researchers from St. Olav’s Hospital in Trondheim,…

Expectations Influence Effectiveness of Migraine Medication

February 15, 2014

Patients’ expectations influenced the effects of both medications and placebos in a recent study and highlighted the importance of the power of suggestion in the field of medicine. Researchers studied 66 migraineurs over the course of more than 450 migraine…

Sharing My Headache Story with NHF – Carrie

September 14, 2010

I have been having headaches since I was in my early 20’s and I am now 51. So, you can tell I have been going through this for a while. I have been on various medications, both preventive and abortive….

Sharing My Headache Story with NHF – Jessie B.H.

September 14, 2010

I am a 32-year-old woman and I have suffered with migraines for as long as I can remember. My mother and grandmother were both forced to live with migraines too, so I feel it is hereditary. I’ve seen countless doctors…

Sharing My Headache Story with NHF – Stephanie

September 14, 2010

I am 21-years old and have suffered from migraine headaches since the 3rd grade. The pain has become increasingly worse, almost to the point of passing out. It feels as if there is an electric drill penetrating my right temple…

Headache Treatment Is Up, But Not with Best Medicines

July 15, 2010

While more people are being treated for migraine and severe headaches than ever before, many of them are not getting appropriate medications for their condition. According to a study that assessed trends in prescribing medications, more opioids, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs…

Abortive Drugs for Migraine

October 25, 2007

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®,…

Chronic Migraine

October 25, 2007

Chronic migraine best characterizes those patients with a history of migraine who experience headache more than half the time. This condition was previously called Transformed Migraine. However, transformation requires that the sufferer recall precisely how their headaches have changed over…

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