Early Migraine Relief

A new clinical trial has found the migraine drug ubrogepant can reduce nonheadache symptoms—such as fatigue, brain fog, and light sensitivity—that occur in the hours before a migraine attack begins. The findings, released yesterday, suggest ubrogepant (which blocks pain-related receptors in the brain) may be the first acute treatment to help manage the run-up to migraines. 

Migraines (see overview) are intense headaches often accompanied by nausea and sensitivity to light or sound, affecting roughly 14% to 15% of the world's population. Many experience early warning signs, known as "prodrome" symptoms, like mood changes, neck pain, or food cravings, hours before the headache starts. Watch what happens to the brain during a migraine here.

In the trial, researchers studied 438 adults ages 18 to 75 with at least a one-year history of migraines. Compared to a placebo, participants who took ubrogepant during the prodrome phase reported faster and greater relief, including improved concentration within one hour, reduced light sensitivity after two, less fatigue and neck pain after three, and decreased dizziness and sound sensitivity between four and 24 hours.