What is a prophylactic treatment?
Prophylactic or preventive medications are not the same as acute migraine medications. The acute medications are used to treat individual migraine attacks, and are only taken when the migraine attacks occur. Preventive medications are taken every day to prevent some of the migraine attacks from occurring in the first place.
Migraine preventive medications are taken to reduce migraine attack frequency. They should not be expected to “cure” migraine or to stop migraine attacks completely. If the number of migraine attacks per month is reduced by 50% or more, that is considered successful. If that happens, patients usually stay on the medication for at least six months, and often much longer.
There are many different preventative medications. Based on your medical history, your doctor will suggest the best treatment for you. Those medications belong to different pharmacological classes (anti-epileptics, anti-hypertensives, anti-depressants). Each medication has potential side benefits and side effects.
Another important aspect to preventative treatment is to learn about common things that can trigger migraine attacks, including lifestyle factors which can lead to more headaches, like skipping meals, not getting enough sleep, stress, etc. (See sections on lifestyle for more information).
Important Points:
1. Preventive medications are taken every day to prevent some of the migraine attacks from occurring in the first place.
2. Migraine preventive medications are taken to reduce migraine attack frequency.
3. There are many different preventative medications. Based on your medical history, your doctor will suggest the best treatment for you.
4. Another important aspect to preventative treatment is to learn about common things that can trigger migraine attacks, including lifestyle factors
