Must-know guide to treating - and preventing - a migraine trends now
It’s been hailed as a ‘life-changing’ drug that could be a blessing for tens of thousands of Brits who suffer from migraines.
Called Atogepant, the drug can halve the number of crippling attacks sufferers endure, according to rigorous trials.
The pill taken once a day, works by blocking the receptor of a protein found in the sensory nerves of the head and neck, known as the calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP). This protein makes blood vessels dilate, which can lead to inflammation and a migraine.
It will be an option for people who have at least four migraine days a month and who have tried at least three other treatments to no avail.
But doctors say there’s some other simple steps you can take – in combination with medicine – to prevent the agony of a migraine.
And there’s also ways to potentially stop them in their tracks…
Migraines can last anywhere between two hours to three days, the NHS says. Sufferers sometimes get warning symptoms such as feeling tired, craving certain foods, changes in mood and a stiff neck before a migraine hits
Migraines usually feel like a very bad headache and cause a throbbing pain on just one side of your head, the NHS says.
Sufferers sometimes get warning symptoms such as feeling tired, craving certain foods, changes in mood or a stiff neck before a migraine hits.
Others get problems with their vison, start to feel dizzy or even have difficulty speaking.
They can last anywhere between two hours to three days, the NHS says.
While the new pill Atogepant could half the number of migraines people suffer from.
A New once-a-day pill called Atogepant could half the number of migraines people suffer from
But for many there are other ways to treat a migraine.
'There is no cure for migraines sadly, but I work with patients to try and manage their symptoms, such as reducing sensitivity to light by sleeping or lying in a darkened room,' Dr Hana Patel, London- based NHS GP, told MailOnline.
That's because sounds and bright lights can often make migraines worse.
'Normally there is a process of working with your GP to find out the best combination to manage symptoms and every migraine sufferer gets different symptoms,' Dr Patel said.
Taking painkillers such as ibuprofen and paracetamol can help reduce the pain in some cases, the NHS says.
In others patients are offered medicines called triptans, which work like a brain chemical called serotonin which helps
