What are the different types of migraine medications?
Migraine medications fall into two major categories. The first contains drugs which abort or stop migraines from progressing once they begin. The earlier these drugs are used in a migraine attack, the better they work. The second category contains drugs which prevent migraines from happening. Over-the-counter migraine medications used to address pain include analgesics, NSAIDS, and caffeine, including: • Aspirin • Naproxen (Naprosyn, Anaprox, Anaprox DS) • Ibuprofen • Acetaminophen (Tylenol) • Or combinations of these One drawback to using analgesics and NSAIDs is that taking them daily can make headaches worse due to medication overuse. Prescription drugs used to provide relief from pain include NSAIDs and narcotics. Like over-the-counter medications, prescription drugs often come in combinations. A barbiturate called butalbital is often used in combination with acetaminophen, and caffeine with or without codeine (a narcotic). Barbiturates are a sedative and may be useful to help peop
