If you’re someone who regularly experiences migraines, then you know how painful they are. Migraines can last for hours to days if left untreated, and the pain can be severe enough to interfere with your work or daily activities.1 Fortunately, some migraines can be treated with the right migraine medicines and effective self-help remedies.1 But what should you be looking for when shopping for migraine medicines?
When your usual pain-relieving medicine can’t suppress your heaviest migraines, you’ll need to look for solutions that really work.
How do you know if you have a migraine?
Migraines are often mistaken for bad headaches. The American Migraine Foundation estimates that at least 39 million Americans deal with migraines, although this number may be much higher since many people do not get diagnosed.2 Migraines are complex disease conditions with accompanying head pain that can appear in the form of multiple symptoms.
The four stages of migraines
There are four stages of migraines, and not everyone goes through every stage.1 These stages are called prodrome, aura, attack and post-drome.1 The prodrome and aura stages precede a migraine and are often unnoticeable.2 You may experience subtle changes during prodrome, including mood changes, food cravings and increased yawning.1,2 The aura stage usually affects your vision and can cause speech difficulties.1
An attack is the painful stage of a migraine. Some common symptoms of migraine attacks include:2
- Moderate or severe head pain
- A throbbing or pulsating sensation in your head
- Nausea and/or vomiting
- Pain on one or both sides of your head
- Head pain that worsens with physical activity or movement
After a migraine attack, most people experience post-drome.1 This stage of a migraine often leaves people feeling confused, dizzy or even elated.1,2
Common ingredients used in migraine medications
There is no guaranteed way to cure a migraine, so the best way to manage the pain is to take effective medications.3 Pain-relieving medications work best when they are taken at the first sign of a migraine.3 When looking for an over-the-counter medication for migraines, look for products with these pain relievers as their active ingredients:
Acetaminophen
Acetaminophen is used to treat a variety of conditions that cause mild to moderate pain.4 Besides migraines, acetaminophen is also commonly used to relieve pain from muscle aches, cough and cold symptoms, toothaches, other types of headaches and menstrual pain.4 It can even be used to reduce fevers by helping to cool the body.4 Acetaminophen is classified as an analgesic, or a pain reliever, and works by changing the way the body senses pain.4
Acetaminophen can be taken on its own, but some over-the-counter brands combine it with other medications.4 Generally, acetaminophen is taken by mouth in the form of a tablet, capsule or liquid.4 Talk to a doctor if you have any concerns with taking products that contain acetaminophen, or if your pain lasts for longer than 10 days.4
