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Woman with chronic migraines

What Is the Difference Between Episodic vs. Chronic Migraines?

First things first, what is a migraine?

The pain of migraine attacks last anywhere from 4 -72 hours and is usually felt as a pulsing on one side of the head.2Migraines also come with other symptoms beyond pain, such as nausea and/or vomiting, sensitivity to light and/or sensitivity to sound.2 Some sufferers have migraines with aura – visual disturbances that can manifest as geometric patterns, flashing lights or a shimmering effect.3 Migraine is a recurring condition diagnosed by a doctor.

There are different types of migraines.

The International Classification of Headache Disorders defines episodic migraine between 0 to14 symptomatic days per month, while chronic migraine is defined as 15 or more symptomatic days per month for more than 3 months.2,4 A 2012 study identified that chronic migraine sufferers make up 7.68% of the total migraine population.5 Both types of migraine can be debilitating, but studies have shown that chronic migraine sufferers have a higher burden on their quality of life.4

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Excedrin Migraine is indicated for episodic migraines.

If you suffer from episodic migraines, your doctor may recommend that you try an over-the-counter migraine treatment with a well-established safety and efficacy profile, such as Excedrin Migraine, before a prescription drug.

Unfortunately, there’s no cure for migraines. While some treatments can work for some sufferers – others can’t find anything that works. There’s still a lot to be learned about this condition. Even if Excedrin® Migraine doesn’t work for you, we hope that you’re able to work with your doctor or neurologist to find treatment options that will bring relief.

Excedrin® Migraine won’t work for everyone.

At Excedrin®, our mission is to relieve your migraine pain. We genuinely hope that Excedrin® Migraine will work for you. We are the No. 1 neurologist recommended over-the-counter medicine for migraines*, but we understand that every sufferer’s migraine is different, and treatments vary. If Excedrin® Migraine doesn’t work for you, we hope that you’ve learned something about the condition — and we hope you’re able to work with your doctor or neurologist to find treatment options that will bring you relief.

We are committed to a deeper understanding of migraines.

At Excedrin®, our goal is to help relieve migraine pain and symptoms. But just as importantly, we are committed to raising understanding and awareness about the true impact of migraines.

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