11 Answers to Your Questions

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6. What’s the Best Treatment for Light Sensitivity and Eye Pain in Migraine?

“Unfortunately, there’s no magic pill that you can take that’s going to take your photophobia away. Most people who experience photophobia during a migraine attack go into a dark room,” says Friedman.

Medications used to treat acute attacks often work to treat the photophobia, because the symptom is part of the migraine process, she adds.

While no medications target photophobia specifically, finding an effective treatment for migraine attacks could reduce your sensitivity to light.

 Acute migraine medications include triptans, gepants, ergotamine, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), and combination pain relievers.

Triptans

Triptans narrow your blood vessels by acting on serotonin receptors in your brain and nerve endings to decrease pain and inflammation. They are a first-line treatment for acute migraine attacks.

Triptans are available as pills, nasal sprays and powders, and subcutaneous injections:

  • almotriptan (Axert)
  • eletriptan (Relpax)
  • frovatriptan (Frova)
  • naratriptan (Amerge)
  • rizatriptan (Maxalt)
  • sumatriptan (Imitrex, Onzetra)

  • zolmitriptan (Zomig)

Gepants (CGRP Antagonists)

Gepants block calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), a protein found in higher levels during a migraine attack. CGRP causes inflammation and blood vessel swelling, and also sends pain signals to the brain. Gepants are available as oral tablets and nasal sprays:

  • rimegepant (Nurtec)
  • ubrogepant (Ubrelvy)
  • atogepant (Qulipta)
  • zavegepant (Zavzpret)

Ergot Alkaloids

Ergot alkaloids act on serotonin and dopamine receptors in your brain, and help reduce inflammation by inhibiting CGRP. They may be less effective than other types of migraine medications.

Ergotamine, a type of ergot alkaloid medication, is typically combined with caffeine to increase its effectiveness.

Ergot alkaloids are available as oral tablets, nasal sprays, rectal suppositories, and injections:

  • dihydroergotamine (Migranal, Trudhesa)

  • ergotamine (Ergomar, Migergot)

Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs

NSAIDs help reduce pain and inflammation during a migraine attack. They are sometimes used with triptans or other migraine medications.

Common NSAIDs for migraine include the following:

  • ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin)
  • naproxen (Aleve, Anaprox)
  • diclofenac (Cambia, Voltaren)

  • aspirin
  • ketorolac (Toradol)
  • celecoxib (Elyxyb)

Combination Pain Relievers

Pain relievers such as naproxen, acetaminophen, and aspirin are also combined with other migraine medications and ingredients to increase their effectiveness and reduce side effects like nausea, vomiting, and sensitivity to light.

Combination pain relief medications for acute migraine attacks include the following:

  • acetaminophen, butalbital, and caffeine (Fioricet, Esgic, Zebutal)

  • acetaminophen, aspirin, and caffeine (Excedrin)
  • sumatriptan and naproxen (Treximet)

  • meloxicam and rizatriptan (Symbravo)



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