If you suffer from migraine headaches, then you will likely want to know more about migraine treatments.  There are a variety of different ways to treat these severe headaches, including both medicinal and natural remedies.  Migraines can be debilitating, and can really start to affect your quality of life, so it is important to learn ways to treat them and prevent them from occurring.  Here are a few of the most common treatment methods.

Medical Treatments for Migraine Headaches

First, take a look at the medicines that can be used to treat migraines.  There are a variety of different pain relievers that have been proven to be effective at getting rid of even the worst migraine headaches.  A few of these include:

• Over the counter products such as Excedrin Migraine that include a combination of aspirin, caffeine and acetaminophen
• Prescription medication such as Triptans, Ergot, Opiates, and Dexamethasone

Generally, if the attacks are frequent and severe, prescription drugs will be administered.  Migraine treatments can also include medications that treat nausea, as nausea often comes along with migraine headaches.  When talking to your doctor, you will want to find the treatment option that will work the best for you.

Medical Prevention of Migraines

If you notice that you are having migraines often, say at least twice per month, then you may want to consider talking with your doctor about preventative measures that can be taken to lessen the severity of the headaches and bring them about less frequently.  Here are some of the medications that are commonly used in preventing migraine headaches:

• Beta blockers such as propranolol
• Calcium channel blockers such as verapamil
• Tricyclic antidepressants, not to be confused with SSRIs and SNRIs
• Anti seizure medications such as Topamax or Neurontin
• Antihistamines such as Cyproheptadine

While these are sometimes used to prevent migraines, they have not been proven effective in all cases.  They may also have some side effects, so it is always important to be on the lookout for any potentially serious side effects while taking these medications

Believe it or not, doctors have even used Botox injections to help treat chronic migraines.  This is known as Botulinum toxin type A.  These injections, while commonly used for cosmetic reasons, are given in the neck and forehead to help with migraine treatment and prevention.

Natural Migraine Treatment and Prevention

If you want to try to combat your migraines without the use of medications, then you may want to give these methods a try:

• Relaxation exercises such as yoga and meditation
• Maintain regular sleep habits without oversleeping
• Find a dark quiet area in your home and rest
• Ice packs and gentle pressure

As you can see, there are a variety of migraine treatments that can be used to help you deal with the pain and suffering that come along with migraine headaches.  Instead of suffering through the pain, consider these treatment options so that you can increase your quality of life and hopefully reach a point where you are migraine-free.