CGRP Medications: A New Frontier in Migraine Relief

Do you struggle with migraines most days of the month? CGRP medications could be your key to fewer migraine days and a better quality of life. Here’s what you should know.

Migraine is a chronic condition that causes intense headaches or “attacks,” with pain felt on one side of your head. The headache may be throbbing or pulsing, and there are other non-headache symptoms. A migraine can cause fatigue, light sensitivity, sound sensitivity, and nausea, all of which can ruin your day.

Many new treatments have emerged for migraine, including preventive botulinum toxin (Botox®) injections. The latest first-line therapy for migraine is a type of medication called a calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) inhibitor or CGRP medication.

Our team of multidisciplinary experts at Delaware NeuroRehab in Dover, Delaware, can help you decide if CGRP medications can help you live life less affected by migraine. If you’re looking for an effective migraine treatment, this treatment is worth exploring.

How CGRP inhibitors work

Calcitonin gene-related peptide is a natural peptide in your body involved in blood pressure regulation, inflammation, and injury healing.

Inside your brain, CGRP interacts with the trigeminal nerve, which is responsible for interpreting pain, touch sensitivity, and temperature.

CGRP is involved in migraine attacks. It worsens head pain and inflammation. It can also make a migraine attack last longer. Most people diagnosed with migraine have high blood levels of CGRP.

CGRP inhibitors block receptors in the brain that CGRP normally binds to. This counteracts trigeminal nerve pain and inflammation to stop a migraine from happening or treat an ongoing migraine.

By using prescribed CGRP inhibitors, you can reduce the frequency of your migraine attacks and rely less on pain relief medications.

CGRP inhibitor types

There are two categories of CGRP inhibitors. Both are available in oral and nasal forms, while preventive CGRP inhibitors are also available as an injection or IV infusion:

Preventive CGRP inhibitors

Preventive CGRP inhibitors stop migraines from happening, so you should take them before a migraine occurs.

Acute CGRP inhibitors

You take acute CGRP inhibitors while a migraine attack happens. They treat the migraine attack while it occurs to lessen your symptoms.

What are the benefits of CGRP inhibitors?

CGRP inhibitors are revolutionizing migraine care thanks to their benefits. You may be interested in trying CGRP inhibitors because they:

Can prevent or treat migraine attacks
Are safe
Don’t cause medication overuse headaches like many other migraine medications
Reduce your number of headache days
Can produce results within a month of taking them
Work better and faster than other acute migraine treatments

Our team at Delaware NeuroRehab can tell you if CGRP inhibitors are a safe and effective choice for you after reviewing your medical history.

Find out more about CGRP inhibitors for migraine by calling Delaware NeuroRehab or requesting an appointment online today.