Sumatriptan is a prescription medicine. It is commonly used for the treatment of migraine headaches. Sumatriptan does not stop the migraine headaches from happening, but instead soothes its symptoms. The medication is classified as being a triptan, also known as a 5-HT agonist. There are various different effects of this migraine medication.
Function
When individuals are experiencing uncomfortable migraine headaches, the blood vessels that are located within their heads become significantly wider. As a result, Sumatriptan functions to narrow the blood vessels, thus making them revert back to their regular state. This operates to provide relief of the symptoms of migraines, such as severe headache.
Most Common Side Effects
Other than providing relief to symptoms of migraine headaches (like head pain, sensitivity to sound and light, and nausea), Sumatriptan can also bring upon some ill effects. There are various relatively common side effects of the medication, such as flushing, chest pressure or tightness, unusual sensations (like numbness, burning, pressure and warmth), vertigo, dizziness, unpleasant tastes lingering inside of the mouth, neck ache and feelings of weakness. These side effects usually subside quickly (as the body adapts to the migraine medication), but if you have any of them and they are especially persistent, or if they get more intense with time, you should notify your doctor as soon as possible.
Other Common Side Effects
Other common and usually minor side effects of Sumatriptan include drowsiness, discomfort of the throat, ears and nose, muscle cramps or pain, sweating, having trouble swallowing, jaw pain, anxiety, nervousness, stomach pain and salivating less. If you have any of these side effects and they do not go away quickly, or if they are particularly problematic, you need to notify your doctor.
Uncommon Side Effects
There are also several very uncommon side effects of this migraine medicine. Since these side effects are rare, they could have some harmful results and therefore call for emergency medical assistance. These uncommon effects of Sumatriptan are asthma, tenderness of the breasts, low or high blood sugar, passing out, heart palpitations, raised or lowered blood pressure and constipation.
Severe Side Effects
There are also some severe side effects of Sumatriptan, like seizures, feeling lightheaded, dizziness, fainting, extreme chest tightness or ache, vision changes (such as vision loss), sudden and extreme abdominal ache and bloody diarrhea. Serious allergic reactions to Sumatriptan are unlikely, but are also considered to be severe effects of the medication. Some signs to be aware of include abnormal swelling, unusual rash on the skin, shortness of breath, wheezing, hives and itchiness.
Tags: side effects, migraine headaches, effects Sumatriptan, blood vessels, Common Side Effects, effects medication