In terms of treating migraines with medication, there are 2 main approaches: medications that stop migraines and medications that prevent migraines from happening.
Preventative migraine medications
Drugs to stop migraines are often prescribed for people who have frequent and severe migraines that disrupt their daily lives. The goal of these medications is to reduce both the frequency and intensity of migraine symptoms and help you maintain your daily activities.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved 8 medications to help prevent migraines:
– 2 beta-blockers, timolol and Inderal LA (propranolol)
– 2 antiseizure medications, valproic acid and topiramate
– 6 calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) inhibitors:
◦ Aimovig (erenumab-aooe)
◦ Ajovy (fremanezumab-vfrm)
◦ Emgality (galcanezumab-gnlm)
◦ Vyepti (eptinezumab-jjmr)
◦ Nurtec ODT (rimegepant)
◦ Qulipta (atogepant)
Side effects of these medications can include dizziness, weight changes, and nausea.
Medications to stop a migraine
Curative medications are taken at the onset of a migraine to stop or reduce symptoms. They can effectively provide relief when taken early during a migraine attack. They can help alleviate symptoms and improve quality of life.
FDA-approved medications to stop migraines once they’ve started include:
- RizaFilm (rizatriptan)
- Zavzpret (zavegepant)
- Trudhesa (dihydroergotamine mesylate)
- Ubrelvy (ubrogepant)
- Reyvow (lasmiditan)
- Tosymra (sumatriptan)
- Zembrace SymTouch (sumatriptan)
- Onzetra Xsail (sumatriptan)
Side effects of these drugs can include dizziness, drowsiness, and muscle weakness. Reyvow is a controlled substance that may lead to abuse.
Additionally, some migraine sufferers may benefit from over-the-counter acetaminophen or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs to treat symptoms, like pain and discomfort.