Treat migraines with the top available medications designed to relieve and prevent the most severe attacks. There are two groups of medications for the treatment of migraines: the pain-relieving group stops the symptoms during an acute attack, while the other is taken during migraine attacks. The other group is preventive medications. These types of drugs are taken regularly to reduce the frequency and severity of migraines. The top three treatments for migraines are Excedrin Migraine, Imitrex, and Botox. Individual treatment strategies depend on the frequency and severity of the headaches and the degree of disability the migraines cause, as well as medical history. Check out these most frequently asked questions about the top migraine medications to learn more.
If an adult has 15 or more migraine headaches that last four or more hours with each occurrence, then they are considered to suffer from Chronic Migraines. Chronic Migraines are different from other migraine conditions because the episodes are more frequent, last longer, and are more severe. This indicates that the usual treatment for migraines needs to be changed.In order to restore a better quality of life, preventive medications are usually prescribed unless contraindicated.
Botox injections of OnabotulinumtoxinA are administered by a doctor. It is best to see a headache specialist. The specialist is experienced in injection techniques at the specific sites on the neck and head where Botox makes its fullest impact. During the procedure which lasts about 15 minutes, a very fine needle delivers the medication into shallow muscles of the head and neck that are just beneath the skin.
Imitrex is used to relieve the pain, nausea, and sensitivities to light and sound that are associated with migraines. It works by narrowing the blood vessels around the brain and reducing substances in the body that can trigger the pain and nausea of migraines. It is not used for prevention, however, in order to be effective, it should be taken at the start of the migraine as it can take a while for the medication to kick in.
Imitrex is available as oral tablets, nasal sprays, and injections. The Imitrex tablet needs to be taken with a full glass of water. If the migraine does not completely go away, or comes back, a second dose is needed if it has been at least 2 hours since the initial dose. Only take 200 milligrams of Imitrex tablets within 24 hours. The maximum dosage of the nasal spray is 40 milligrams. Imitrex injections are available at a medical facility or by using the prescription pen injector.
Excedrin is an over-the-counter pain reliever that consists of acetaminophen, aspirin, and caffeine. The caffeine is clinically proven to enhance the pain relieving function of aspirin and acetaminophen - two pain drugs. The amount of caffeine is about the same as what is found in a cup of coffee. It is recommended to avoid other products containing caffeine while taking Excedrine Migraine.
Anecdotal records indicate that effectiveness levels are basically the same. Excedrin Migraine receives rating a 3.98 out of 5 on an effectiveness range. Imitrex scores 3.74 on the same scale.
The effectiveness of Botox achieves the recommendation of a 50% reduction in episodic migraines. Other preventive medications range from a 10%-70% reduction in headaches.
Most insurance plans cover the cost of Botox for Chronic Migraine. The manufacturers of Botox offer a savings plan in which patients can receive up to $700 off per treatment for up to 5 treatments. Some patients are able to use the $700 as the insurance copayment and pay $0 per treatment.