| Migraine medications |
| Written by Henry Johnson | |
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Migraine headaches are more than just a nuisance. They afflict millions of Americans and can cause significant impairment to the quality of one's work and ability to enjoy one's personal life. According to the CDC, migraine headaches effect 28 million Americans, more often afflicting females (17 percent) than men (6 percent). Missed work and lost productivity from migraine create a real drag on the economy and individuals' ability to earn. Despite the significant public cost of migraine headaches, the ailment still remains very under-treated and under-diagnosed. A majority of migraine sufferers are never diagnosed by their doctors and never use migraine medication . A migraine headache is a form of vascular headache. Migraine headaches are sparked by enlargement of the blood vessels coupled with the release of chemicals from nerve fibers that wrap around these blood vessels. When a migraine attack occurs, the temporal artery, which lies on the outside of the skull just a little beneath the epidermis of the temple, gets bigger. Enlargement of this artery stretches the nerves that wrap around the temporal artery and causes them to emit chemicals. These chemicals then cause inflammation, pain, and even more enlargement of the artery. The increasing stretching of the temporal artery increases the pain. Migraine can also increase sympathetic nervous activity throughout the body. Increased sympathetic nervous system activity affects the intestine area by causing sufferers vomiting nausea and diarrhea. It also slows down the emptying of the stomach into the small intestine and thus hinders medications that were taken orally from entering the intestine and being quickly absorbed. The hindered absorption of oral medications is usually the culprit behind the ineffectiveness of medications taken to treat migraine headaches. Fortunately, there are a new generation of medications designed specifically to effectively treat migraine headaches. For folks who suffer from moderate to severe migraine headaches, there are some migraine-specific abortive medications that can provide much-needed relief. These migraine killers for moderate or severe migraine headaches differ from common pain killers like acetaminophen and ibuprofen, in that instead of alleviating pain, they get rid of headaches by blocking the cause of the headache, the increase in size of the temporal arteries, by shrinking the arteries back down to normal size. Migraine-stopping medications generally come in three general categories: Triptans link themselves to serotonin receptors on the blood vessels and nerves and thus reduce inflammation and shrink the blood vessels back down to normal size, thus stopping the headache in its tracks. The triptan with the longest history of use is sumatriptan also known as Imitrex. Common side effects of triptans include facial flushing, skin tingling, and a sense of constriction around the chest and throat. Other less common side effects include drowsiness, fatigue, and dizziness. These side effects don't last long and are not considered very serious. Midrin combines the blood vessel constriction of triptans with the painkilling properites of acetaminophen. It works best if taken early in a migraine headache, but because of its strong blood vessel constricting properties patients with high blood pressure, kidney disease, glaucoma, atherosclerosis or liver disease should refrain from taking it. Ergots, like triptans, cause blood vessels to constrict, but ergots tend to cause more constriction of vessels in the heart and other parts of the body than the triptans. Because of their impact on the heart, ergots are not considered as safe as triptans. If you suffer from what you believe are migraine headaches, consult your doctor. There's no reason to live with this easily treatable ailment, and with proper medical advice you can find a treatment that will alleviate your pain and allow you to enjoy life again. |
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