MTCA Magazine March 2013 siiue by North American Spine

Drug Free Migraine Research with Electric Stimulation

Also in this issue: • • • • • • •

Genetic Clue to Migraine Treatment Research Shows IBD Sufferers Prone to Chronic Headaches Vitamin D is Key to Health and Headaches Date Night Strategy to Ditch Headaches Migraine Medicine Patch Offers Alternative Migraines, Flying and Public Safety Neurostimulation for ‘Trekkie’ Wannabees

Migraine Treatment Centers of America Courtesy Magazine march 2013

Drug Free Migraine Research with Electric Stimulation

What if you could benefit from powerful painkillers, without enduring unpleasant side effects or increasing your risk for drug dependency? Unfortunately, chronic migraineurs often depend on powerful narcotics or opioids to cope with debilitating pain and other symptoms. University of Michigan scientists recently discovered that applying an electrical current to certain areas of the brain, in a subject with chronic trigeminal neuropathic pain (face pain), stimulates the release of painkilling chemicals within the brain. These powerful substances are similar to opiates, which are sometimes prescribed for severe pain. The study expands the possibilities for developing drug free migraine treatments. This research also sheds some light on earlier scientific findings from the University of Michigan, City University of New York and Harvard University. In that study, individuals with chronic migraines received electrical impulses to their skulls through attached sensors. Although the subjectsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; pain level and intensity decreased, the researchers were not exactly certain how this occurred.

Advancements in the field of electrical nerve stimulation (or neurostimulation) are especially exciting for Migraine Treatment Centers of America, since we are able to see the benefits the Omegaâ&#x201E;˘ migraine procedure is providing for chronic migraine patientsÂ every day.

ÂŠ Can Stock Photo Inc. / wacker

Genetic Clue to Migraine Treatment

A Victoria’s Secret model recently said she ‘hit the genetic lottery.’ If you suffer from chronic migraines, you may have a winning lottery ticket of a different sort.

Scientists have confirmed that your ancestors may be the source of your family’s tendency toward both migraines and epilepsy. This may begin to explain why certain anti-seizure medication, such as Topiramate, is useful for both treating epilepsy and preventing migraines. Interestingly, neurostimulation has been an effective treatment for chronic migraines, and is also being used to treat people with epilepsy, who cannot tolerate or benefit from medication. Researchers from Columbia University Medical Center in New York reviewed medical data from 730 patients with epilepsy. They found that there was an increased likelihood of migraine with aura and other visual disturbances among those subjects with at least 3 close family members who also had seizure disorders.

Compared to those with fewer affected relatives, the risk for this migraine condition was doubled. The researchers were able to conclude that there is a genetic connection between the two conditions, and that this could prove helpful when developing treatment strategies.

Research Shows IBD Sufferers Prone to Chronic Headaches

In eastern medicine there is a fundamental understanding that the body’s functional systems are interconnected, and if there is a problem in one area, it will be related to problems in other areas. Practitioners of eastern and alternative medicine would not be surprised to learn that recent research proves that people with underlying digestive system ailments like irritable bowel and celiac disease are prone to headaches and migraines. In the study from the Department of Neurology at Columbia University Medical Center in New York, 502 people

were surveyed. Among the subjects, 188 had celiac disease, 111 had IBD, 25 had gluten sensitivity and 178 were healthy. Among those with stomach conditions, 30 percent of those with celiac disease and 23 percent of those with IBD had chronic headaches. Of the individuals with gluten sensitivity, 56 percent had serious headaches. The researchers also found that the subjects with IBD were 2.66 times more likely to suffer with migraines and those with celiac disease were 3.79 times more likely to experience migraines. If you suffer with tummy problems and chronic headaches or migraines, your treatment may require correctly diagnosing and treating the underlying digestive disease.

Vitamin D is Key to Health and Headaches

Did you know that Vitamin D deficiency is not only detrimental to your general health, but also is associated with chronic tension headaches and migraine?

A recent study from Norway, published in Headache, reported that Vitamin D deficiency was found in headache sufferers. Likewise, the American Headache Society reports that in 2008, medical researchers found low Vitamin D levels in 41.8% of a group of migraineurs. A 2009 study, published on PubMed, found that individuals with chronic tension headaches and low vitamin D levels responded favorably to vitamin D and calcium supplements. If your doctor recommends boosting your low Vitamin D levels, consider it a worthwhile enhancement to your migraine or headache treatment program. Great “D” sources include vitamin supplements, regular sun exposure, fatty fish, milk, and fortified foods. Excessive Vitamin D, not surprisingly, poses other avoidable issues. According to the American Headache Society website, Vitamin D may also have some analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties that help with migraine pain.

One thing is for sure: Vitamin D is very important for your headache condition as well as overall good health.

Date Night Strategy to Ditch Headaches Are you triggering a migraine or tension headache just thinking about planning that perfect date? With common sense and creativity you can enjoy a romantic, fun-filled and pain free date!

• Stay on Schedule – When living with

a chronic headache condition, getting adequate quality sleep at the same time every night is critical. So start that evening date a little earlier in the day… how about late afternoon?

• Cranial Sacral Therapy – It is possible

to stoke the embers of love in the afternoon! Reserve a couple’s massage, to ease transitioning from the workday stresses into your special evening. Cranial Sacral Therapy is a massage variety that works the bones and muscles in the head and spine to release tension and pain.

• Migraine Friendly Dinner – Pass

on trigger foods like aged cheese, red wine and chocolaty dessert. Opt for (anti-inflammatory) Omega-3 fatty acidrich salmon prepared with ginger and (magnesium rich) spinach. A calcium and riboflavin-rich yogurt-based beverage or dessert will complete your headache fighting dinner.

Remember: love and romance should be one of life’s feel-good experiences! Minimizing stress and discomfort is a big part of making the most of your relationship time. © Can Stock Photo Inc. / 4774344sean

Migraine Medicine Patch Offers Alternative

It was recently announced, in Medscape Medical News, that the FDA approved the use of an adult migraine skin patch containing the medication sumatriptan. The treatment potentially benefits individuals who may experience migraines with nausea symptoms, and who find oral medication impractical or ineffective. According to WebMD, 8 out of 10 migraineurs experience nausea symptoms. How it works: the battery-operated patch is attached to the patient’s thigh or upper arm when a migraine begins. Over a period of 4 hours, it releases 6.5 milligrams of medication that passes directly through the skin into the blood stream without having to enter the stomach.

In a study with 800 subjects who received the patch, the manufacturer’s research indicated that after two hours, 18 percent no longer had a headache, 53 percent experienced reduced pain and 84 percent were relieved of nausea symptoms. According to the Medscape article, the device’s side effects included tingling, pain and itching at the adhesion site, in addition to potential side effects normally associated with the use of triptans.

Individuals who can’t tolerate medication due to nausea or pre-existing health conditions may prefer a different solution: a migraine procedure such as implanted neurostimulation.

Migraines, Flying and Public Safety

If you are a flying phobic, you have probably at least thought about some potential, albeit unlikely, emergencies: What if something happens to the pilot? Who can fly us to safety?

Passengers recently experienced such a surreal disaster on Lufthansa Flight LH403, when the co-pilot suffered a migraine attack, according to a report in Britain’s Daily Mail. The flight from Newark to Frankfurt was diverted to Dublin and made an emergency landing with the help of a passenger who was an off-duty pilot himself. We wonder if relying on passengers to be back-up pilots is a prudent ‘migraine treatment.’ Pilots, train conductors and first responders all share the daunting responsibility for the public’s safety. Individuals in these professions, who suffer with chronic debilitating migraines, must be especially prepared with preventative and abortive treatments for their symptoms. While avoiding triggers may be tricky due to the unpredictable nature of these jobs, having effective migraine medication on hand is critical. Of course if a medical condition presents an obstacle to public safety and job performance, these professionals might consider serving in alternative roles that don’t put both the public and themselves in harm’s way.

Neurostimulation for ‘Trekkie’ Wannabees

When migraines hit, don’t you sometimes wish you had a transporter platform, like the one from Star Trek that would let you teleport to another dimension… one where your migraine symptoms vaporize? Sadly, we can’t just transport a migraine away or use a hand-held tricorder to treat the pain. However, according to the British news site Mail Online, a Star Trek-reminiscent neurostimulation migraine treatment device does in fact exist. The futuristic device is sold in Europe but not yet approved for use in the United States. It looks like a narrow silver headband that rests across the forehead and over the ears. The transcutaneous supraorbital apparatus sends electrical impulses into the trigeminal nerve, which is involved with transmitting pain signals during a migraine. Scientists from the Liege University in Belgium found the device helped lessen the number and severity of migraines among subjects. They also noted that the preventative treatment had no apparent side effects, like those that can accompany migraine medications. The study was published online recently in the journal Neurology.

If all you want is an intergalactic experience…. Go on, wear your Star Trek costume and pop in a Blue-ray Disc from Star Trek: The Original Series.

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