Every year millions of Americans suffer from crippling migraine headaches. A migraine is more than just a bad headache; it is an intense, debilitating, headache that makes it difficult for the sufferer to function and engage in normal, everyday activities. When a migraine strikes the first thing its victim wants to do is find the fastest road to relief, and that is usually possible only with the help of migraine medicine.

Over-the-counter medication is the first line of defense against the incapacitating pain of a migraine headache. There are many varieties of over-the-counter pain relief available, but the one that works best for you might only be determined through trial and error. Ibuprofen, aspirin, acetaminophen, and naproxen - best known as Motrin, Bayer, Excedrin and Tylenol, and Aleve respectively (although all are available under generic names) - are the primary and best known options in the market of migraine medicine. However, as any migraine sufferer knows, sometimes those medications are simply too little, too late, to provide any real relief from a painful migraine.

There is another option: try to get the migraine before it gets you, and preventative migraine medicine is designed to do exactly that. Preventative migraine medicine is taken every day, and it is probably not the best option for someone who suffers from intermittent or sporadic migraine headaches. If, on the other hand, you suffer from frequent - more than twice a month - and debilitating migraine headaches, then a daily prevention regime might be the most logical option for you. A daily regimen can not only stop the migraines from occurring, it will lessen the amount of painkillers you are ingesting. That is important to consider because high dosages of pain killers, even of the over-the-counter variety, can have adverse side effects on your body.

Just like over-the-counter options, a daily prescription migraine medicine may require some trial and error by you and your physician in order to find the right medication and dosage for your situation. You may be required to chart the frequency and severity of your headaches in order to assist the physician in finding the most effective migraine medicine. It is important to remain patient and positive during the process, as it can take weeks or even months before the ideal medication and dosage is discovered. After six to twelve months of successful headache control, your physician may think it is in your best interest to taper the dosage of the medication with an eye toward eventually freeing you from the burden of daily medication, as well as the painful condition of migraine headaches.

If you suffer from migraine headaches then you owe it to yourself to fully investigate the options that are available to you. Migraine medicine exists in many forms, and it can help those who suffer the rare - but still painful - headache, as well as those who suffer frequently. But not all migraine medicine is created equal, and if you are struggling to control your condition then consult your physician in order to develop a migraine medicine strategy that works for you.