Migraine: Current Treatment Methods (part 1 of 3)

Many breakthroughs regarding the biological and genetic causes of Migraine have been made in recent years. And while certain of the exact biological mechanisms are still being studied, breakthroughs in treatment offer hope and relief for millions of people who suffer from the pain of Migraine. 
 
MAGNUM has noted that in the past, Migraine tended to be managed in a way that either prescribed drugs that helped prevent attacks OR prescribed drugs that treated pain during an attack, but not both. However, the best approach to Migraine management is what MAGNUM calls a MULTIFACTORAL approach, which involves addressing all four aspects of Migraine health care: preventive treatment, trigger management, abortive treatment, and general pain management.
 

MAGNUM's Multifactoral Approach
I	Preventative or Prophylactic
II	Trigger Management
III	Attack Aborting
IV	General Pain Management

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(I) Preventive or Prophylactic

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First, preventive, or prophylactic, medications are prescribed to prevent or reduce the number of attacks in patients who experience frequent Migraines, typically two or more per month. In general, these medications act over time to prevent blood-vessel swelling; however, they do not treat the Migraine-associated symptoms and are non-selective. Many sufferers using preventive treatments will still have to take attack-aborting medications to relieve pain and other symptoms.

Beta-blockers are the most commonly prescribed prophylactic treatment for Migraine and are considered to be an effective preventive treatment. Medication includes propranolol. Click here for more detailed information. 

 

Antidepressants are believed to have a possible effect on serotonin or possible analgesic effects. Click here for more detailed information. 

 

Calcium channel blockers are also used to decrease the frequency of Migraine attacks. It is thought that calcium channel blockers play a role in vessel constriction. Click here for more detailed information. 

 

Methysergide is thought to block the inflammatory and vessel-constricting effects of serotonin. Because of potential side-effects, methysergide is generally used only on select patients. This medication also requires a four to six week drug hiatus every six months. Click here for more detailed information. 

 

Divalproex Sodium (Depakote®) is probably the most promising of the preventive regiments currently available for Migraine. This drug was originally developed for Epilepsy; a disease often referred to as a sister disorder to Migraine, prescribed in much smaller doses when used to treat Migraine thus lessening the mild side effects. 

Source:

Information offered at this Web site by either a lay person or a health professional should not be interpreted as giving a diagnosis or a treatment recommendation. These can only be provided by a physician who has had an opportunity to interact with a patient in person and at length, with access to the patient's previous records and appropriate follow-up.