The best way to treat migraines: appropriate treatment depends on frequency, triggers and severity.(Comanagement Q & A)

Review of Optometry, September, 2004 by Ajamian, Paul C.

Q Last month's column discussed how to determine the etiology of a patient's headache. Once migraines are diagnosed, what is the best course of treatment for these patients?

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

A The answer depends, in part, on how often patients experience migraines. For example, patients who experience classic or common migraines infrequently may opt for no treatment. Some patients can learn what triggers their migraines and simply avoid those precipitating factors. These should be included in your history, says optometrist Michelle Caputo of Bascom Palmer Eye Institute in Miami.

Precipitating factors include:

* Medications, such as nitroglycerin; Persantine (dipyridamole, Boehringer Ingelheim), which is used following...