Effective & Trusted Medications Guide » Headache & Migraine
Special conditions
People with certain other medical conditions or who are taking certain other medicines can have problems if they take antimigraine drugs. Before taking these drugs, be sure to let the physician know about any of these conditions:
ALLERGIES
Anyone who has had unusual reactions to ergotamine, caffeine, sumatriptan, zolmitriptan, or other antimigraine drugs in the past should let his or her physician know before taking the drugs again. The physician should also be told about any allergies to foods, dyes, preservatives, or other substances.
PREGNANCY
Women who are pregnant should not take ergotamine (Cafergot).
Antimigraine drugs are medicines used to prevent or reduce the severity of migraine headaches.
Purpose
Migraine headaches usually cause a throbbing pain on one side of the head. Nausea, vomiting, dizziness, increased sensitivity to light and sound, and other symptoms may accompany the pain. The attacks may last for several hours or for a day or more and may come as often as several times a week. Some people who get migraine headaches have warning signals before the headaches begin, such as restlessness, tingling in an arm or leg, or seeing patterns of flashing lights.
Millions of people who suffer from migraine and sinus headache pain say they wouldn’t wish it on their worst enemy. Headaches are miserable. These beasts come in all shapes and sizes–dull persistent throbbing, sharp stabbing pain, achy head or sinus pressure.
Sometimes, confusing symptoms can make it difficult to tell one type from another. What you once thought was a sinus headache because of a cold, weather changes or seasonal allergies, could possibly be a full-blown migraine. Although there are many effective treatments available to relieve headaches, many people don’t see their doctors about headache pain and end up missing the correct diagnosis and helpful treatment.