Ten million Americans suffer from migraine headaches, which account for approximately 113 million lost workdays each year. Therefore, the issue of migraines is not just personal anymore, it’s an economic issue as well. There have been treatments in the works to prevent and treat migraines. The team at Southwest Spine and Pain Center is sharing some of the new approaches and advances patients can expect to see in the coming years for chronic migraine treatment.
TENS Device for Migraine Prevention
In March 2014, the FDA approved the marketing for the first transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) device for the preventative treatment of migraine headaches. This TENS device, called “Cefaly,” is small, portable and battery operated. It will resemble a plastic headband worn across the forehead and on top of the ears. The device will be applied using a self-adhesive electrode that will apply electric current to the skin and underlying tissues to stimulate the trigeminal nerve, commonly associated with migraine headaches. Patients over the age of 18 will use the device one a day for 20 minutes. For more information visit: FDA: Medical Devices or the NIH: NINDS Migraine Information Page.
Preventative Prescription Medications
There are two different drugs on the horizon that promise to prevent migraines and stop them once they start. These drugs are still pending approval by the FDA, but they are said to work by inhibiting a protein released that causes pain and inflammation called calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP). The discovery of this protein is not new, but still, it’s helping researchers develop possible preventative medications for migraine treatment. Regardless, it’s a tricky protein to study so patients may not expect anything new to come out for a least a few years.
Future Drugs On The Horizon
According to Medscape.com, the immediate future of preventative migraine treatment will likely include glutamate N-methyl-D-aspartic acid (NMDA) receptor antagonists and gap-junction blockers because these chemicals have shown a reduction in frequency of aura attacks with or without headache during clinical trials. The site also stated that Transient receptor potential vanilloid type 1 antagonists, prostaglandin E receptor 4 receptor antagonists, serotonin 5HT1(F) receptor agonists and nitric oxide synthase inhibitors will be future compounds in the treatment of acute migraines.
If chronic pain is impacting your life, don't wait to schedule an appointment at Southwest Spine and Pain Center. With three locations and growing, the pain management specialists at Southwest Spine and Pain Center are dedicated to helping those who suffer from chronic pain live the life they want to! To schedule an appointment, visit our locations tab!
The advice and information contained in this article is for educational purposes only, and is not intended to replace or counter a physician’s advice or judgment. Please always consult your physician before taking any advice learned here or in any other educational medical material.
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