how to use acute treatments for migraine attacks
acute treatments are medications to help you to break a migraine attack, not to prevent one.
3 minute read
what are acute treatments for migraine? acute treatments are medications to help you to break a migraine attack, not to prevent one. these medications are taken as needed when a migraine starts. they are different from preventive treatments, taken on a regular basis to decrease the frequency of migraines.
what is the goal of an acute treatment?
the goal is to return you to your usual activities as soon as possible — usually, this means within one to two hours. the medication should be effective, reliable and have no significant side effects. if you have severe attacks, the goal may be to decrease symptoms even if a return to function is not possible.
how can i tell the difference between migraines and my less severe headaches?
pay attention to your symptoms of migraine. are you sensitive to light? irritable? nauseous? do you get throbbing pain? these are symptoms of migraine. when you become familiar with the warning signs of your own attacks, you will be able to treat them earlier and increase your success.
how will i find the right acute treatments for me?
every patient is different. to find the right treatment, you may need to try several medications to find what works best for you. it is rare for a treatment to be effective in 100% of attacks, so we suggest that you try each new medication for three separate migraines. track results on a headache diary. evaluate benefits and side-effects so that you can decide if a medication is right for you. discuss with your health care provider.
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when should i treat my migraine? sometimes i try to wait to see if it will pass…
treating the attack early increases your chances of success and return to function. for some people, their migraines are always the same, but other people have different types, some rising quickly, other slowly. the sequence of symptoms may vary, but once an attack is full blown, it becomes more difficult to stop it,
what should i do if my migraines come on quickly or i wake up with them. what should i do?
consider asking your doctor for a medication that does not need to be absorbed by the stomach, such as a nasal spray, suppository, or injection.
can i combine several acute treatments?
the different categories of acute medications can be taken together to treat different part of the attack. for example, you may need something for pain and nausea. different migraine medications act through different mechanisms and combining them may increase your chances of success.
what about rebound headache? how many days per month can i safely treat?
if you have more than 2 days a week of headaches, be very careful! the risk of drug-induced (rebound or medication overuse) headache starts at 10 days per month. if you have headaches more often than this, you may need a preventive medication to help reduce the frequency of your migraines.
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can i use opioid (narcotic) medications for migraine?
opioids or narcotics are usually avoided in migraine headaches because they are more likely to result in a temporary response where the migraine returns in a few hours or the next day. the brain becomes more sensitized to pain following the use of opioids and there is greater risk for rebound headaches. the pattern of migraine often becomes more frequent and more severe in people who use opioids.
there are many options for you! learn more about the treat early concept, the combination principle and find the best ways to gain back your life.
for more information on migraine, and to connect with others who share your experience, visit migraine canada .
references
worthington i, pringsheim t, gawel mj, gladstone j, cooper p, dilli e, et al. canadian headache society guideline: acute drug therapy for migraine headache. can j neurol sci. 2013;40(5 suppl 3):s1-s80.
gilmore b, michael m. treatment of acute migraine headache. am fam physician. 2011;83(3):271-80.
mayans l, walling a. acute migraine headache: treatment strategies. am fam physician. 2018;97(4):243-51.
rapoport am. acute treatment of migraine: established and emerging therapies. headache. 2012;52 suppl 2:60-4.
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