Migraine Medications

Migraine medications are used for two purposes -- to relieve the symptoms during migraine attacks and to prevent the attacks from happening in the first place. For infrequent migraines, medications can be taken at the first sign of a headache in order to stop it or to at least ease the pain. For headaches that occur two or more times a week, preventive migraine medicine is usually recommended.

 

An Overview of Migraine Medications

There are basically two types of migraine medications: those used to treat migraine headaches that have already started and those used to prevent them from starting in the first place.
 
Many people with migraines use both approaches. To prevent future attacks, they take medicines originally developed for epilepsy and depression. To treat attacks when they happen, they take migraine medications that relieve pain and restore function.
 
(Click Migraine Treatments for more information on treating migraine headaches.)
 

Migraine Medicines for Mild-to-Moderate Pain

People who get occasional mild-to-moderate migraines may benefit by taking certain medicines at the start of an attack. There are a variety of migraine medications that your healthcare provider may recommend. Some medications are available over the counter while others require a prescription.
 
Following are some examples of medications used to treat infrequent migraines that are mild-to-moderate in severity:
 

 

(Migraine Medications Continued: Page 2)
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Written by/reviewed by: Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Arthur Schoenstadt, MD