According to the American Migraine Foundation, over 36 million people in the United States experience migraine attacks. Migraine headaches can affect a person’s daily life and ability to function.
When symptoms start, many people turn to fast-acting migraine treatments. Knowing more about these medications can help you decide whether you could benefit from them and work with your doctor to find the right one for you.
Migraine headaches are often described as intense, pulsing, or throbbing pain that occurs in one area of the head. Doctors usually diagnose migraine when a person has had at least five attacks — each lasting between 4 and 72 hours without treatment — accompanied by sensitivity to light or noise, vomiting, and nausea.
There is no cure for migraine headaches, but fast-acting migraine medications may improve symptoms. If you’re interested in learning more about these pain relievers, ask your doctor about a fast-acting medication.
What to know about acute migraine
Many people who have migraine attacks can feel them coming on — one of the first noticeable symptoms is usually an aura. These sensory changes can appear as flashing lights or lines appearing in a zigzag pattern. Some people even lose their vision for a short period.
For most, migraine headaches are triggered by certain factors, such as:
- bright or flashing lights
- dietary substances
- lack of food or sleep
- hormone changes
- stress
Several research studies indicate that migraine headaches are up to three times more likely to occur in females than males. While the exact cause of migraine attacks is unknown, genetic factors may play a role.
Migraine treatment options
For most, successfully treating migraine attacks means relieving symptoms and preventing other attacks from happening. When people have acute or sudden migraine headaches, doctors’ choice of which medication to prescribe depends on each person’s unique needs and the characteristics of the attack, including the severity and frequency of the episode.
When people have a migraine headache without vomiting, medications known as triptans may be used as a fast-acting migraine treatment. When taken within the first 2 hours of the migraine attack, most people experience relief. However, the sooner these medications are administered, the more effective they can be.
Research shows that triptans work by reversing the blood vessel dilation, or widening, that occurs in the brain when migraine attacks happen. This can help control symptoms, especially if medication is administered quickly.
There are currently seven types of triptan drugs, and some aren’t as fast-acting as others. It may take a trial of more than one of these medications to find which triptan helps you most.
As with any medication, side effects from triptans are possible.Side effects usually include fatigue, discomfort in the head or neck, and mental fogginess. However, not all triptans cause these side effects for every person. If you’re prescribed a fast-acting triptan and you have side effects, switching your prescription could resolve the problem.
For some people, migraine attacks also cause vomiting. Oral triptan drugs might not be as effective with these types of migraine headaches. Instead, doctors usually prescribe other forms of the medication, including intranasal, oral disintegrating forms, and injections.
An older drug, dihydroergotamine (DHE), is still used for migraine treatment and is usually available as a nasal spray or injection. Some people use an inhaler to administer this drug because the inhaled form of DHE may be especially effective against migraine attacks.
Most triptans must be separated by 2 hours and have a limit of 2 doses in a 24-hour period. Your doctor may suggest a tiered approach to your treatment and you should consult with your physician if you intend to use more than one triptan. Initially, your doctor may recommend a medication like a triptan that directly affects the migraine attack severity and any resulting disability you experience. Then, your treatment plan may include a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID). If you’re still having migraine symptoms, you may use another triptan.
The latest migraine medications include ubrogepant and rimegepant, as the are first approved gepants for the acute treatment of migraine. A 2020 study suggests gepants do not lead to medication overuse headache. Also, people with cardiovascular risk factors may benefit from taking lasmiditan — a new medication for acute migraine treatment.
Migraine attacks can severely interfere with your daily life. Treating symptoms quickly when they start is essential, in addition to taking steps to preventing more headaches.
Fast-acting migraine treatment options can significantly help reduce the severity of such attacks by narrowing blood vessels in the brain. For some, these medications make up the foundation of everyday migraine headache treatment. Even though there is no cure for migraine headaches, fast-acting migraine treatments are a good option for many.