Migraine sufferers often rely on prescription medicines for relief, but a couple of new studies suggest that some of the 28 million Americans who get migraines might be able to use over-the-counter pills. Thai researchers analyzed data from four previous studies using the nonprescription NSAID naproxen. The drug reduced headache intensity and other symptoms within two hours, which counts as a desirable outcome. It was as effective as the prescription migraine medicine frovatriptan.
In other research, almost 400 migraineurs took either 1000 milligrams of Tylenol or an inactive placebo. 52 percent of those taking acetaminophen reported relief after two hours, compared to 32 percent of those on the dummy pill. With prescription drug prices rising, many people welcome OTC medicines to cut short a nasty migraine headache.
[Headache, March, 2010]
The People's Perspective on Medicine