Migraine Treatments

There’s no cure for migraines, but a number of treatments are available to help reduce the symptoms. General pain killers may help however we offer prescription only medicines called Triptans to help reverse the changes in the brain that may cause migraines.

Triptans are also known as 5-HT1 agonists which act by narrowing the brains blood vessels thereby providing relief from swelling. It is best taken as soon the headache develops not before. Studies have shown that they do not work as well if taken too early. Triptans taken by mouth are designed to work rapidly – within an hour or so.

If the triptan worked to relieve your headache but then the headache returned later you can repeat the dose after 2-4 hours. Each triptan has a maximum daily dose that you should not exceed. If a low dose does not work so well you may purchase a larger dose. Also, some triptans work in some people and not in others. In some cases, some people have tried three or more different triptans before finding one that works best for them. The British Association for the Study of Headache (BASH) recommends that you try each triptan for three separate migraine attacks before deciding to change to a different one. Even in people where triptans work well, a triptan does not work for every migraine attack. The aim is to find the one that works most of the time for you. Make sure you read the patient information leaflet carefully as there may be hints and tips on how to use your medication correctly or feel free to call us for some advice. However, there can be occasions where the treatments don’t work or suit you. In this case we recommend you contact your GP at your earliest opportunity for further advice.