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How do you get rid of a migraine fast?

Medically reviewed by Sally Chao, MD. Last updated on Oct 2, 2024.

Official Answer by Drugs.com

To help get rid of a migraine as soon as possible:

If you are pregnant and you have questions about what medicines are safe, consult your health care provider.

Early signs of a migraine

Knowing the early signs can help you treat a migraine quickly. These signs can occur a few days or hours before the migraine starts:

Another warning sign of migraine is aura. Changes in vision, touch or speech can occur. These include:

Migraine prevention

There are also ways to help prevent migraines:

Medications for migraines

Medications for migraine are available to help treat and prevent attacks. It’s important not to overuse these OTC medicines. Taking them too frequently can lead to a condition called rebound headache.

OTC medicines for migraine include:

Prescription medicines used to treat migraine include:

Prescription medicines used to help treat and prevent migraines include:

Prescription medicines used to help prevent migraines include:

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References
  1. American Migraine Foundation. Acute Migraine: Treating Early. April 5, 2009. Available at: https://americanmigrainefoundation.org/resource-library/acute-migraine-treating-early/. [Accessed September 27, 2021].
  2. National Headache Foundation. Your Migraine, Your Symptoms: What You Need to Know. September 15, 2015. Available at: https://headaches.org/wp-content/themes/bridge-child_nhf/documents/161024_LOT-A_MigraineSymptoms.pdf. [Accessed September 27, 2021].
  3. Krymchantowski, AV. Headaches Due to External Compression. Curr Pain Headache Rep. 2010;14, 321–324. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11916-010-0122-x.
  4. American Migraine Foundation. Magnesium for Migraine Prevention. April 1, 2021. Available at: https://americanmigrainefoundation.org/resource-library/magnesium-migraine/. [Accessed September 25, 2021].
  5. U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Medicine and Pregnancy. May 31, 2019. Available at: https://www.fda.gov/consumers/free-publications-women/medicine-and-pregnancy. [Accessed September 25, 2021].
  6. American Migraine Foundation. The Timeline of a Migraine Attack. January 18, 2018. Available at: https://americanmigrainefoundation.org/resource-library/timeline-migraine-attack/. [Accessed September 28, 2021].
  7. American Migraine Foundation. Understanding Migraine with Aura. July 6, 2017. Available at: https://americanmigrainefoundation.org/resource-library/understanding-migraine-aura/. [Accessed September 27, 2021].
  8. American Family Physician. Rebound Headaches. December 15, 2004. Available at: https://www.aafp.org/afp/2004/1215/p2313.html. [Accessed September 27, 2021].
  9. American Migraine Foundation. Over-the-Counter Medications vs. Prescription Medications. September 13, 2018. Available at: https://americanmigrainefoundation.org/resource-library/over-the-counter-medications-vs-prescription-medications/. [Accessed September 25, 2021].

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Can depression cause headaches?

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