What treatments work for migraines?

In this section
Key points about treating migraines
Treatments for migraine headaches

The good news about migraines is that there are treatments that work. These treatments can't stop you from getting migraine attacks. But if you use them as soon as you realise you are about to have an attack, they will reduce your pain and other symptoms, and should make you feel better.

Key points about treating migraines

• Learning as much as you can about migraines may make it easier to cope. To find out more, see How you can help yourself.
• A migraine diary might help you work out what things trigger a migraine attack, so that you can avoid these things in future.
• Most people who get migraines take painkillers that they buy from a pharmacy without a prescription, such as aspirin or ibuprofen.
• You can get combination painkillers from a pharmacist, which contain paracetamol and small amounts of a stronger painkiller called codeine. Some products also contain a medicine to stop you feeling sick. One brand is called Migraleve. But we haven't looked at the evidence for these combinations.
• Drugs called triptans have been designed especially for migraine attacks. They work well although they do have some side effects. You may have to try more than one triptan before finding one that suits you.
• You need to take your medicine at the first sign of an attack, as soon as you start having symptoms.¹
• If you have frequent migraine attacks, ask your doctor about treatments to prevent them. To learn more, see Treatments to prevent migraines.

Treatments for migraine headaches

Which treatment works best? We have carefully weighed up the research and divided the treatments into categories.

You can find out more about each treatment by clicking on the links below.

For help in deciding which treatment is best for you, see How to use research to support your treatment decisions.

Treatments that work

With the exception of aspirin and ibuprofen, all the treatments in this category are triptans. Triptans make the blood vessels in your brain narrower, which can stop your brain from feeling the pain of migraine, at least partly.

• Aspirin: You can take aspirin on its own or combined with paracetamol and caffeine (Anadin Extra or Alka XS Go). More...
• Ibuprofen: Ibuprofen is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID). You can buy a low dose of ibuprofen over the counter. One common brand name is Nurofen. But you can also just ask for ibuprofen. More...
• Eletriptan: Relpax is the brand name for eletriptan. More...
• Naratriptan: Naramig is the brand name for naratriptan. More...
• Rizatriptan: Maxalt is the brand name for rizatriptan. More...
• Sumatriptan: Imigran is the brand name for sumatriptan. More...
• Zolmitriptan: Zomig is the brand name for zolmitriptan. More...

Treatments that are likely to work

• Diclofenac: Diclofenac is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID). The brand names are Diclomax and Voltarol. More...
• Naproxen: Naproxen is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID). Its brand names are Naprosyn and Synflex. More...
• Tolfenamic acid: Tolfenamic acid is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID). The brand name is Clotam. More...
• Drugs based on ergotamine: These medicines make your blood vessels narrower. This may stop you feeling the migraine pain. The brand names for ergotamines are Cafergot and Migril. More...

How do I take my medicine?

You can take pills when you feel a migraine attack starting. But sometimes you may feel too sick to swallow pills, or you may vomit them up before they can work. If this happens to you, you can get medicine in different forms, such as:

• Tablets that you dissolve in water and then drink
• Injections
• Nasal sprays
• Special tablets or wafers that dissolve when you put them in your mouth
• Suppositories (soft capsules that you insert into your back passage).

Whatever medicine you use, make sure you read the instructions carefully. Sometimes people take painkillers regularly for long periods, and this can actually cause a headache. This type of headache is called a medication-overuse headache, and it can become almost a daily problem.