Drugs for migraine headaches can relieve the pain and symptoms of a migraine attack and prevent further migraine attacks.

Migraines can be treated with two types of drugs: abortive and preventive.

Abortive: The goal of abortive treatment is to stop a migraine once it starts. Abortive medications stop a migraine when you feel one coming or once it has begun and may be taken as needed. Abortive medications can be taken by self-injection, by mouth, or by nasal spray. These forms of medication are especially useful for people who have nausea or vomiting related to their migraine, and they work quickly.

Abortive treatments include the triptans, which specifically target serotonin. They are all very similar in their action and chemical structure. The triptans are used only to treat headache and do not relieve pain from back problems, arthritis, menstruation, or other conditions. People with certain medical conditions should not take these medications.

 

Preventive: This type of treatment is considered if migraines occur frequently, typically more than one migraine per week, or if migraine symptoms are severe. The goal is to lessen the frequency and severity of the migraine attacks. Medication to prevent a migraine can be taken daily.