There are more than 200 types of headaches, but migraine is one of the most life-altering and difficult to treat. This neurologically caused condition may begin with an aura and then move into four to 72 hours of unrelenting pain, nausea and sensitivity to light, as pain-producing, inflammatory substances are released around nerves and blood vessels of the head. We don’t know the exact cause, but triggers include stress, certain foods and alcohol.
The search for treatments that stop an attack has produced a wide range of medications, but some new ones are as inflated in price as they are in the promises they make. At least that’s the conclusion of a new study in The BMJ that found that triptans, such as sumatriptan (Food and Drug Administration-approved more than 20 years ago), eletriptan, rizatriptan and zolmitriptan, are the most effective medications for treating an acute migraine attack. They work by changing how blood circulates in your brain and how your brain processes pain signals.
But ... triptans don’t prevent migraines (except for menstrual ones). That may come from a combination of lifestyle choices (stress reduction, regular sleep patterns, eating healthy foods, drinking coffee, and exercising regularly) and taking medications. The beta blocker propranolol can be effective after taking it for a few months. Some anticonvulsant medications and Botox injections have also been found to work well. And while it’s mostly anecdotal, coenzyme Q10, magnesium, feverfew, butterbur, vitamin D and riboflavin are favorite supplement therapies. For more information, check out “12 Natural Ways to Deal with Migraine Headaches” at iHerb. com/blog.
