New Treatments Offer Hope for Migraine Sufferers

39 million people in the United States, especially women, suffer from migraines according to the Migraine Research Foundation. Thankfully, new treatments have come out in recent years that are showing promise.

Three drugs were approved last year by the FDA that block a chemical the brain releases just before a migraine. Of the people who have taken these new medications, 60 percent reported the number of migraines they suffer cut in half.

Dr. Sarah Benish, Department of Neurology, joined MPR news to discuss what migraines are, what treatments are available, and when you should see a doctor.

"Someone knows they've got migraines and they're noticing that it's disrupting their life — they're missing work, they're missing social events, they're missing out on seeing their kids play baseball this summer — they should come talk to their primary care doctor or a neurologist like myself to see how we can improve their quality of life," Benish said.