Scientific Writing: Need to Know Treatment Options for Migraines

Anyone who has ever suffered from a migraine knows that the effects are brutal. Leaving people feeling under the weather and in mentally crippling pain every day, Hans Christopher Diener and David W. Dodick believe the migraine is one of the top three most prevalent medical disorders around the world. Though the public is aware of the debilitating side effects caused by chronic headaches, they may not be aware that there are more and more treatment/preventative options being discovered each day. There are breakthrough medical studies that have been conducted which provide us with enough evidence to believe there are several preventative options for those who suffer at the hand of migraines. 

According to the American Migraine Association, migraine impacts over 37 million men, women, and children in the United States.

In their article Headache Research in 2015: Progress in Migraine Treatment, Hans Christopher Diener and David W. Dodick state, “Treatment with triptans was a major step forward in the treatment of acute migraine attacks.” Triptans are defined as a class of drugs that bind to and are agonists of our serotonin receptors found in the brain (Diener & Dodick, 2016). In other words, they use our own serotonin to help ease the symptoms caused by a migraine attack. This treatment is available in a variety of forms and can be prescribed by your doctor based on what is right for you. This is just one of many newly discovered treatment options becoming available.

Though there are many medications that may prevent migraines, do not take any form of medication without prior recommendation from your doctor. Consult your physician to find out what treatment options are right for you. The relief you have been hoping for may be just one call away.

Amitriptyline, flunarizine, fluoxetine, metoprolol, pizotifen, propranolol, topiramate, and valproate were among the listed drugs that when tested in three separate trials, were more effective than the placebo for migraine treatment. Another treatment option being studied is the use of a few different kinds of humanized antibodies. It would seem that, when taken together, these antibodies have not only been well tolerated, but have been effective in migraine prevention. These antibodies also have very long half-lives, making them easily injected once monthly. A once monthly treatment option removes the hassle of having to remember to take a migraine medication each day. Diener and Dodick say that the final migraine prevention being tested offers both toleration by the patient and effectiveness in the use of a medication commonly used to treat high cholesterol called Simvastatin. This medication, in combination with vitamin D3 taken twice daily, was reported to reduce the number of migraine days in patients participating in this clinical trial.

It is important to note that there are many corporations participating in the research process and clinical trials focused on finding more effective treatment options for those who suffer from chronic migraines. Oxford University Press, WebMD, and Synergy are just a few among many other corporations focused on finding preventative measures and have been awarded honoraria for their participation in the clinical trials. It is refreshing to know that doctors, scientists, and even well-known corporations are putting time and energy into studying the side effects of the migraine and what can be used to treat it. Being that it is an ailment that cannot be seen, those who suffer from the debilitating impact of chronic migraines are often left feeling isolated and sometimes even completely alone.

When Autumn, a local teacher, was asked about her struggles with migraines, she had this to say, “Having struggled with migraines since I was about 17 years old, they have impacted my life in the worst way because they can be completely debilitating.” Autumn, along with so many other people, is suffering every single day from this ailment. As with any medical study, more research is needed. Perhaps with more extensive research, someday medical professionals and scientists will find a way to cure migraines. Can you imagine how many people would be positively impacted by a cure for migraines and chronic headaches? This would be a breakthrough that not only prevents headaches but changes the overall quality of so many lives.

Works Cited:

American Migraine Association (2021). American Migraine Foundation Shares Key Insights About the Reality of Migraine. Retrieved on April 9, 2022, from: https://americanmigrainefounda...

Diener, H., & Dodick, D. W. (2016). Headache research in 2015: Progress in migraine treatment. The Lancet Neurology, 15(1), 4-5. doi:10.1016/S1474-4422(15)003415http://www.sciencedirect.com.lopes.idm.oclc.org/science/article/pii/S147444221500341