Diagnosis and Treatment
Treatment for migraine varies. Patients may try a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug, such as ibuprofen or acetominephen. If that doesn’t work, more powerful drugs can be prescribed, such as the Triptan drugs, which reduce vascular inflammation, and certain anti-epilepsy drugs, like depakote and gabapentin, which are used preventively to curb electrical impulses in the brain which trigger migraine.

The effect of oral contraceptives on headaches is perplexing. Scientists report that some migrainous women who take birth control pills experience more frequent and severe attacks. However, a small percentage of women have fewer and less severe migraine headaches when they take birth control pills. And women who do not suffer from headaches may develop migraines as a side effect when they use oral contraceptives. Investigators around the world are studying hormonal changes in migrainous women in the hope of identifying the specific ways these naturally occurring chemicals cause headaches.

Your doctor will work with you to determine which lifestyle factors may trigger migraines, and encourage you to reduce those activities.

Last updated: 28-Aug-07