Migraine Treatments
There are several migraine treatments available. Common migraine tablets in the UK include painkillers, triptans or anti-sickness medicines. Some of these are over the counter migraine medications while others are only available on prescription.
Painkillers
Many patients find painkillers effective at improving symptoms. Examples are aspirin, ibuprofen, paracetamol and co-codamol (codeine and paracetamol).
You can buy migraine tablets and painkillers over the counter at a pharmacy or online from our shop. Some are advertised as being specific headache tablets. Our shop pages contain more information on who can and can’t take these painkillers.
These are most effective if taken as soon as symptoms of an attack begin. Soluble versions of these painkillers may be more effective for migraine relief. This is because they are absorbed into the body faster than normal tablets.
If painkillers are used too often, in rare cases they can cause medication-overuse headaches.
Triptans
Triptans are a type of medicine prescribed by GPs. They are commonly prescribed migraine medications in the UK. These are normally prescribed if a patient has tried over the counter painkillers but find them ineffective.
Triptans are more specific for treating migraines than other painkillers like paracetamol. Generally, people are prescribed sumatriptan tablets first. Sumatriptan is available as 50mg tablets and 100mg tablets.
A dose is taken as soon as a headache appears (not the aura). If symptoms improve but return, a second dose can be taken two hours after the first.
Other triptans available include Imigran (branded sumatriptan), rizatriptan, zolmitriptan, and naratriptan.
The above treatments are available in tablet form and they generally take 30 - 60 minutes to have an effect.
Other versions of the treatments are available, such as nasal sprays or dispersible tablets. These are absorbed into the bloodstream quickly and may improve symptoms faster than the tablet versions. They can also be easier to take for people who feel nauseous during an attack.
Anti-sickness medicines
Feeling sick or vomiting are common symptoms during an attack. Many people find treatment with anti-sickness medicines helps alongside painkillers or triptans. Most anti-sickness medicines need to be prescribed by a doctor, but two are available from pharmacies. These are Buccastem M tablets and Migraleve Pink tablets.
Migraleve pink tablets contain codeine, paracetamol and buclizine. Buclizine is the anti-sickness ingredient. Migraleve pink tablets are available on our website and are also available in Migraleve Complete.
Preventive treatment
Preventive migraine medication can be taken daily to reduce the frequency and severity of attacks. This type of treatment is prescribed for people who are severely affected by migraines.
Examples of preventive medicines include beta-blockers (like propranolol), amitriptyline, and topiramate.
These medications are not available over the counter or from online pharmacies like Simple Online Pharmacy. Patients need to be medically reviewed by their GP for preventive treatment. You should talk to your doctor about your symptoms. The benefits of treatment need to be balanced against the risks of side effects.