All of these migraine medications were prescribed for one patient. Prescription drugs are the most commonly used migraine preventative. Tylenol, Maxalt, Imitrex, Amerge. The list is seemingly never ending. Unfortunately, some pharmaceutical options also present adverse side effects including increased risk of birth defects.

According to the American Medical Association, more than 18% of women suffer from migraines. This statistic climbs to greater than 22% for pregnant women.The FDA has recently issued a reminder about the heightened risk of neural tube defects in babies exposed in-utero to medications that contain valproate. The average rate of birth defects among US newborns is approximately 1 in 1,000 but children born to mothers that used medications such as Depakote, Depacon, and Stavzor resulted in a birth defect rate of 1 in 20.

There are safe and effective migraine prevention therapies for expectant mothers. One non-pharmacological option is the FDA-approved NTI-tss Plus. It is a small dental appliance that fits over the front four teeth. Many migraines are a result of nighttime clenching and grinding of the teeth. The NTI-tss Plus comfortably keeps the canines and back teeth apart during sleep to minimize the intensity of the clenching forces. In a study reviewed for FDA approval, 82% of NTI-tss users experienced a 77% reduction in migraine events.

This patient was trapped in the web of expensive, potentially harmful migraine medications until she visited her dentist, Dr. Mark Malterud of St. Paul, MN. www.DrMalterud.com. Dr. Malterud prescribed an NTI appliance and this patient is now free from the pain of migraine. You can reclaim your life too. If you have any questions about The NTI-tss Plus, please contact  us.