The good news about migraines is that there are treatments that work. These treatments can't completely 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.^[5]

• If you have frequent migraine attacks, ask your doctor about treatments to prevent them. To learn more, see Treatments to prevent migraines.

Which treatments work best? We've looked at the research and given a rating for each treatment according to how well it works.

For help in deciding which treatment is best for you, see How to make the best decisions about treatment.

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.

Treatments for migraine headaches

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...

• 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...

We haven't looked at the research on these treatments in as much detail as we've looked at the research on most of the treatments we cover. (To read more, see Our method.) But we've included some information because you may have heard of them or be interested in them.

• Paracetamol: This is an over-the-counter painkiller that many people take for migraines. More...

• Treatments to prevent migraines: There are several treatments your doctor might recommend to help prevent migraines, including medications, acupuncture, injections, and surgery. More...

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