Migraine service

A migraine is a headache which can be accompanied by symptoms such as nausea, sensitivity to light or sound, and vomiting. Migraine treatments work to relieve these symptoms quickly and prevent migraines from getting worse.

  1. Complete a short medical questionnaire
  2. Highlight a preferred treatment
  3. Doctor reviews your answers and notes your preferred treatment
Available from £9.00

Important: If your preferred treatment is not clinically suitable, your doctor will offer an alternative or advise you on what to do next.

Migraine treatments available

  • Sumatriptan
  • Migraitan
  • Maxalt Melt
  • Imigran Nasal
  • Buccastem M
  • Vydura

Migraine Treatments

Sumatriptan Tablets (Generic Imigran or Migraitan)

Sumatriptan is a medication which can provide relief from migraine headaches. It works best when taken as soon as the first symptoms become noticeable. It is believed that migraines are caused by the widening of blood vessels in your head and that sumatriptan reduces the widening and thus symptoms such headache, sensitivity to light and nausea.

You need to take sumatriptan with a drink of water as soon as possible when you notice a migraine starting. The medication only works as a treatment during a migraine and you mustn't take it to prevent migraines.

The usual starting dose is 50mg. If the 50mg dose proves ineffective in treating your migraine, you can ask your doctor whether you can take a higher dose of 100mg. Sumatriptan 100mg is a prescription only medication and it is important that a doctor checks whether you can take it.

Imigran Nasal Spray (Sumatriptan)

Patients who feel nauseous during a migraine may find it difficult to take Sumatriptan tablets. In this case, Imigran nasal spray can help fight a beginning migraine. It contains the same medicine as Sumatriptan tablets and it is also the most effective when used during the beginning stage of a migraine.

Each Imigran nasal spray contains one single dose of the medication.

As with Sumatriptan tablets, you need to consult a doctor and get a prescription before using the nasal spray.

Maxalt Melt Oral

Maxalt Melt oral tablets contain the active ingredient rizatriptan and you should take them as soon as you notice the first symptoms. Unlike other migraine tablets you do not need to swallow them but keep them in your mouth until they have dissolved. This makes Maxalt Melt tablets a good option for situations where you do not have a drink of water available or if you feel nauseous.

The usual dose for treating migraines is one 10mg tablet. If your symptoms return within 24 hours you can take a second dose but you must leave at least 2 hours between the two doses. It is important that you do not take more than two doses in 24 hours.

Anti-nausea

Buccastem M Buccal tablets are a medicine to treat nausea and vomiting in migraine patients. If possible, you should take the tablet after food. You mustn’t swallow or chew the tablet but place it under your upper lip, high up between your lip and your gums on either side of your mouth.

You will find that you won’t feel the tablet after the first few minutes and it will dissolve over a period of 1-2 hours. Do not push the tablet around with your tongue, as this can make the treatment less effective.

What is migraine?

Migraine is a common condition which affects over eight million people in the UK. It is a severe headache which can persist for several days. In most cases, the headache consists of a throbbing pain on one or both sides of your head. It is believed that migraines may be caused by the widening of blood vessels in the head.

Many patients who suffer from migraines also experience increased sensitivity to light or sound and choose to rest in a dark room to avoid both. It is also very common for migraines to cause nausea and vomiting. Less commonly, they can also cause increased sweating, abdominal pain and diarrhoea.

Some people suffer from migraines with aura, which means that they experience symptoms such as visual problems, numbness of the face or limbs, problems with their speech or dizziness during a migraine.

Available from £9.00

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