Migraine headaches can be treated with two drug approaches: abortive and preventive. Learn more from WebMD about how each type works to curb or shorten migraines. There is a wide range of disease severity in migraine. There are some people who only need a rescue or an acute treatment for migraine because they have infrequent migraine attacks. But there are other people who are having frequent migraine attacks, maybe two or three times a week. Migraine treatment involves acute (abortive) and preventive (prophylactic) therapy. Patients with frequent attacks usually require both. Measures directed toward reducing migraine triggers are also generally advisable. Acute treatment aims to reverse, or at least stop, the progression of a headache that has started. Preventive treatment, which is given even in the absence of a headache, aims to reduce the frequency and severity of the migraine attack, make acute attacks more responsive to ... Most people who have migraines find that their headaches get better with the preventive treatment and lifestyle changes. Though there is no definitive cure for migraine, treatment can successfully lower the frequency and severity of attacks and also help relieve symptoms.
