ABC News aired a three-part series about new hope for migraine sufferers called Easing the Pain the first week of March 2006. This article is a recap of Part I of the series.
Promising New Treatments
According to the report, more than 20 pharmaceutical companies are currently working on new treatments for migraines. This is especially exciting news for sufferers waiting for relief because it has been more than 10 years since a major new migraine treatment has been introduced to the market.
One new drug currently being developed and tested that could soon hit the market is called Trexima. Trexima is a combination of the existing migraine treatment, Imitrex, and naproxen sodium, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) found in drugs such as Aleve.
The combination of drugs “turns off” the inflammation of the blood vessels in the brain which trigger migraines and prevent the inflammation from recurring. Researchers have found that combining the two drugs has a greater effect in treating migraine than just taking the two separately. In addition, clinical trials have shown that migraine intensity lessened with the use of Trexima.
New Delivery Methods
Being able to stop or prevent migraine pain quickly is critical because pain can worsen the longer a patient has to wait. Scientists are researching new ways of delivering migraine treatment and engineering new treatments to work quickly.
Two new delivery methods currently in development are a skin patch and an inhaler. The skin patch uses an electrical impulse to push medication directly into the skin. The inhaler, similar to many asthma medications, is designed to deliver medication to the brain in about 15 seconds.
With drugs and faster delivery methods being researched and developed, migraine sufferers can look forward to potential new treatments and hope for more effective relief.



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