Nearly 30 million Americans suffer from migraine headaches. Migraines occur more commonly in women than in men and typically occur in people aged 15 to 55 years.
A recent study of 171 migraine sufferers, published in the journal Headache, suggests that over-the-counter Excedrin Migraine works better the prescription Imitrex (sumatriptan) for treating migraines. The patients who took the Excedrin Migraine at the onset of a headache experienced less pain after four hours than those who took Imitrex.
This result is probably true for some patients but not all. Excedrin Migraine contains acetaminophen, aspirin, and caffeine. The problem with continual use of this combination is that it often leads to rebound headaches. You should also not take more than two tablets per day and no more than twice per week. This greatly reduces your chances of rebound headaches. If you are experiencing more than two migraines a week, you will need a prescription medication.
Another study found that taking an NSAID, like naproxen, with Imitrex (sumatriptan) works much better than taking either medication alone for migraine headaches. The researchers concluded that the...