Headache

Migraine Headaches

Signs and Symptoms
Diagnosis
Treatment

Treatment

Migraines can be managed by identifying and then avoiding the "trigger factors" that affect you. People who suffer from migraines tend to be sensitive to stress. Since the stresses of everyday life can't be avoided, practicing stress-relieving techniques -- such as yoga, transcendental meditation, hypnosis and biofeedback -- may be helpful.

Drugs also are available to treat migraines. Typically, pain relievers such as aspirin, acetaminophen and ibuprofen are recommended as initial treatments. If they don't relieve the pain, your doctor may prescribe other drugs or drug combinations. Your doctor will work with you to determine which drugs are best for you, based on the severity of your attacks.

Some medications, used to treat other conditions -- such as beta-blockers for hypertension and tricyclic for depression -- are effective in treating migraines as well. Beta-blockers, which open up blood vessels, can have a soothing effect on the nerve cells that cause migraines. And antidepressant drugs, which have pain-relieving qualities, also have been effective in relieving migraines. Even though you may not be depressed, antidepressant drugs may be prescribed for headache pain. The benefits and dosages of these drugs when used for migraines, however, are different than those in the treatment of other conditions.

Many drugs for acute migraine attacks work best when taken as soon as you feel a migraine coming on. But don't take these medications more often or in higher doses than your doctor recommends.

If you experience frequent attacks, medication to prevent migraines may be prescribed so that headaches will strike less often and last for shorter periods of time. Be sure to continue taking your preventive medications even while being treated for an acute attack.

If your doctor prescribes medication, be sure to ask for the following information:

• How often the medication should be taken
• If the medication should be taken with meals or on an empty stomach
• What to do if pain or other symptoms persist

Drugs, however, don't cure the condition. As you age, though, your migraines may subside. Studies show that migraine attacks peak between the age of 35 and 45 and then begin to decline.

Reviewed by health care specialists at UCSF Medical Center.
Last updated May 8, 2007