Contents
Navigating the Migraine Maze: A Guide to Current Treatment Guidelines
Published: Jun 18, 2024
With so many treatment options available, navigating migraine care can feel overwhelming. Fortunately, expert guidelines provide a roadmap for both patients and healthcare providers. Let's break down the key recommendations for managing migraines.
Stratified Care Approach
Current guidelines recommend a stratified care approach. This means tailoring treatment to the severity of your migraines. For mild attacks, over-the-counter pain relievers might be sufficient. For moderate to severe attacks, migraine-specific medications like triptans or gepants are often recommended as first-line treatments. The goal is to find the most effective treatment with the fewest side effects for each individual.
Acute vs. Preventive Treatment
Guidelines distinguish between acute treatments (taken during an attack) and preventive treatments (taken regularly to reduce frequency of attacks). For frequent or severe migraines, preventive treatment is often recommended alongside acute treatment. This might include daily medications, monthly injections, or even non-drug approaches like certain supplements or lifestyle changes.
Avoiding Medication Overuse
A key point in all guidelines is the importance of avoiding medication overuse, which can lead to more frequent headaches. Most acute medications should be limited to no more than 10-15 days per month. If you're needing acute treatment more often than this, it's time to discuss preventive options with your healthcare provider.
Frequently Asked Questions
Professional organizations like the American Headache Society.
They're regularly reviewed and updated as new evidence emerges.
They're recommendations, not rules, but most use them as a framework.
Your doctor may consider other options or specialist referral.
Yes, many include recommendations for complementary approaches.
Your Personal Path
While guidelines provide a general roadmap, remember that migraine treatment should always be personalized to your specific needs and responses.
References
- American Headache Society. The American Headache Society Position Statement On Integrating New Migraine Treatments Into Clinical Practice. Headache 2019; 59:1.
- Ailani J, Burch RC, Robbins MS; Board of Directors of the American Headache Society. The American Headache Society Consensus Statement: Update on integrating new migraine treatments into clinical practice. Headache 2021; 61:1021-1039.
- Eigenbrodt AK, Ashina H, Khan S, et al. Diagnosis and management of migraine in ten steps. Nat Rev Neurol 2021; 17:501-514.
This article has been reviewed for accuracy by one of the licensed medical doctors working for Doctronic. Always discuss health information with your healthcare provider.
AI Doctor Visit Required
Appointments available 24/7
Top licensed doctors
Available in all 50 states
Full service care
Prescriptions, referrals & treatment
No insurance needed
All notes available in Doctronic
15-min consultation. No hidden costs.
AI Doctor Visit Required
Please Chat With Our AI Doctor First
Our AI doctor assessment helps our human doctors prepare for your video visit and provide better care
For safety reasons we have been forced to end this consultation.
If you believe this is a medical emergency please call 911 or your local emergency services immediately.
If you are experiencing emotional distress, please call the the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 or your local crisis services immediately.
Contact us
You can also email us at help@doctronic.ai
We aim to reply within 5-7 days
How likely are you to recommend Doctronic to friends or family?