Questions from the clinic: When should I take my acute migraine medication?

Answer: As early as possible!

At our migraine clinic we have noticed a common issue amongst our patients- they don’t treat their migraines early! Instead they delay treating a headache because they ‘wait to see if it’s going to be a migraine’

At our migraine clinic we advise our patients that the key to effective management of an acute migraine attack is early recognition and treatment

Migraine patients often report that they suffer migraines and headaches, though most headaches experienced by a patient with migraine are in fact migraine headaches, and will respond to their usual acute migraine medication.

As a migraine evolves its responsiveness to treatment decreases. Medications developed specifically for acute migraine treatment, are far more effective if taken when the headache is still early, and mild to moderate in intensity, rather than later, when moderate to severe in intensity.

Delaying taking acute migraine medication risks not resolving the headache completely, and this can be linked to the early recurrence of further severe headaches!

Note : Information on this site is not a substitute for professional medical advice.

References: Acute migraine treating early, Headache 2009, American Headache Society, Rothrock MD