A new fast-acting drug that is inhaled could tackle migraine pain within 30 minutes.
As well as acting quickly, the drug - Levadex - provides relief for up to two days, compared to just a few hours for some drugs.
Results from clinical trials suggest that the new medicine can ease the agony of a migraine faster than existing treatments and with fewer side-effects.
The rapid relief is due to a unique inhaler device, similar in appearance to those used to treat asthma, which propels tiny particles of medicine deep into the lungs.
Once inside the airways, the particles are quickly absorbed into the bloodstream before travelling to the brain to dampen down pain signals.
One in four women and one in 12 men in the UK suffer from frequent migraines. They are thought to be caused by changes in levels of a brain chemical called serotonin.
Low levels of serotonin can make blood vessels in the brain go into spasm, which makes them narrower.
Doctors think this is what causes so-called 'aura', a term used to describe disturbing symptoms such as flashing lights, zigzag patterns and blind spots which can often occur during a migraine.
Meanwhile, the extreme headache occurs when the blood vessels dilate, allowing the blood to rush back.
There are many potential triggers for migraine. For women, these include hormonal changes around the time of their period. Other triggers are stress, tiredness and even strong smells.
Some sufferers experience several attacks a week, but others can go for months or years between migraines.
Lying in a darkened room during an attack often helps soothe the pain.
Treatment often begins with over-the-counter painkillers, such as aspirin or paracetamol.
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But in recent years, a new class of drugs has emerged. Called triptans, these are taken as pills, nasal sprays or injections and work by reducing the dilation of blood vessels in the brain.
But triptans only work in about 70 per cent of patients and, even when they do, can take up to 90 minutes to have an effect.
The drugs can also increase blood pressure and trigger nausea. Patients with heart disease, or who have suffered a stroke, cannot take them.
The new drug, developed by U.S. firm MAP Pharmaceuticals, is in the final stages of clinical trials and could be available within the next two years.
The drug is administered through a special inhaler device that fires tiny molecules of it into the body.
These so-called metered-dose inhalers have been used for years in asthma. They work by squirting the drug into the mouth at speeds of up to 50mph.
But many asthma sufferers fail to respond because drug particles become lodged in the back of the throat rather than penetrating the lungs.
The migraine device gets round this by propelling a slow-moving 'cloud' of Levadex particles into the airways that get drawn into the body when the patient breathes in.
Tests show the new inhaler delivers three times as much drug into the lungs as existing ones.
Findings presented at a recent meeting of the International Headache Society in California showed Levadex eased headache pain in around 30 minutes for most patients and provided relief for up to 48 hours for one in three of them.
Lee Tomkins, director of Migraine Action, said the new drug could make a big difference to patients.
'It may offer an exciting new way to deal with this debilitating condition. A new treatment which deals with symptoms quickly and has few side-effects would have a big impact.'
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