Highly effective non-pharmacological methods of treatment can be used as therapeutic measures of the first stage, and sometimes as monoprophylaxis. The effectiveness of treatment is significantly higher when combining effective drugs with non-drug methods.
In some cases, with the successful correction of headaches for 6 months, it is possible to recommend drugs for the prevention of headaches, later replacing them with non-drug methods.
According to an uncontrolled study of 818 migraine adults from 21 countries in Europe and the Middle East, preventive treatment with topiramate significantly reduced the incidence of headaches.
After 6 months, patients were randomized to continue topiramate and placebo group. After 6 months of the double-blind phase, improvement was noted in patients of both groups; although a small but significant increase in headaches was recorded in the placebo group.
This information confirms that after 6 months of effective treatment it is useful to change the means of prophylactic treatment. During this period of time, patients are advised to continue treatment with non-drug methods to ensure the longest possible effect.
Headloof in the treatment of headaches
The butterbur (petelus, kambuzhnaya grass) (Petasites hybridus) is a perennial shrub. The butterbur root extract has an anti-inflammatory effect and is successfully used to treat bronchial asthma and migraine, which has been proven by research results.
In patients who took 50 mg of butterbur root extract twice a day for 3 months, the number of migraine attacks decreased to 34-42%. Moreover, when treating butterbur root extract in a daily dose of 75 mg twice a day for 3 months, the frequency of migraine attacks decreased to 58%. The number of side effects is usually insignificant, although every fourth patient complains about the appearance of gastrointestinal disorders, most often heartburn.