Preventing Migraines

Highlights	Prognosis	Non-Drug Treatments and Lifestyle Changes
Introduction	Diagnosis	Resources
Causes	Treatment Approaches	References
Risk Factors	Medications for Treating Migraine Attacks
Symptoms	Medications for Preventing Migraine Attacks

Medications for Treating Migraine Attacks

Many different medications are used to treat migraines. However, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has specifically approved only the following types of drugs for treating migraine attacks:

Non-prescription drugs. Excedrin Migraine, Advil Migraine, and Motrin Migraine Pain
Prescription drugs. Triptans and ergotamine

Other types of drugs, including opioids and barbiturates, are sometimes prescribed off-label for migraine treatment. Opioids and barbiturates have not been approved by the FDA for migraine relief, and they can be addictive.

All FDA-approved migraine treatments are approved only for adults. No migraine products have officially been approved for use in children.

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Pain Relievers

Some patients with mild migraines respond well to over-the-counter (OTC) painkillers, particularly if they take a full dose of the medicine at the very first sign of an attack. OTC pain relievers, also called analgesics, include:

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, generic), naproxen (Aleve, generic), and aspirin. The FDA-approved migraine products Advil Migraine and Motrin Migraine Pain both contain ibuprofen.
Acetaminophen (Tylenol, generic). The FDA-approved migraine product Excedrin Migraine contains acetaminophen, as well as aspirin and caffeine.

There are also prescription-only NSAIDs. These include diclofenac (Cataflam), which is taken by mouth, and ketorolac (Toradol), which is given by injection.

NSAID Side Effects. High dosages and long-term use of NSAIDs can increase the risk for heart attack, stroke, kidney problems, and stomach bleeding. Aspirin does not increase the risk for heart problems, but it can cause other NSAID-related side effects.

Triptans

Triptans (also referred to as serotonin agonists) were the first drugs specifically developed for migraine treatment. They are the most important migraine drugs currently available. They help maintain serotonin levels in the brain, and so specifically target one of the major components in the migraine process.

Triptans are recommended as first-line drugs for adult patients with moderate-to-severe migraines when NSAIDs are not effective. Triptans have the following benefits: