Migraine Treatments

Migraines aren’t a typical headache. Those who experience migraines know they can range from unpleasant to debilitating. While there’s nothing fortunate about having a migraine, the growing medical understanding of the condition and new treatments mean sufferers are much better off now than in the past.

Here are three modern treatments that can help reduce the simpsons and frequency of migraines.

CGRP Inhibitors

Calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) is a factor that is associated with causing pain from migraines. CGRP inhibitors are a relatively new class of drugs that block the effects of CGRP. A few medications like Erenumab, Galcanezumab & Fremanezumab are FDA approved for treating migraines. With these drugs, you give yourself a once-monthly injection, and many patients report lessened migraine symptoms.

CGRP Inhibitors may not be the answer for all migraine sufferers, but most side effects are mild. Typical side effects from CGRP Inhibitors are redness, pain, or swelling at the injection site. Some patients experience constipation, cramps, and muscle spasms. Less frequently, some patients have allergic reactions, including hives, itching, difficulty breathing, and tongue, or throat swelling. CGRP Inhibitors are a treatment option worth expressing for chronic migraine sufferers.

Hormone Therapy

Recent research suggests that estrogen has a strong link to migraines. A reduction in estrogen may, in fact, be caused by migraines for many sufferers. More research is needed, but some patents are already using hormone therapy to treat migraines.

Historically hormones have not often been prescribed for migraine sufferers because of a perceived association between exogenous estrogen and increased risk of stroke in women. However, more recent data, including from a study of 67,903 participants, suggests “from the treatment safety perspective, there was no impact from hormone therapy on this relationship.”

Botox

Some with chronic migraines have found relief from Botox injections at the head and neck. It is believed that Botox helps reduce migraines by blocking neurotransmitters that carry pain signals from your brain. In a study of 106, predominantly female patients, 51{06ea24fe2ba415d6859e62a205d33bde11a184cf730fa7b8cecc8bfce17ace56} reported “complete response,” meaning the treatment ultimately ended their migraine symptoms.

Botox treatment of migraines primary for those having 14 or more migraines a month. While Botox may not be the right treatment for you, it is good to know that is could be an option.