Migraine researchers develop a hand held device for treating migraines

It was only a matter of time before scientists and researchers developed a portable device that could help ease the symptoms of a chronic and often debilitating condition. We have become a society that thrives on having our phones, calendars, internet, and books all in the palm of our hand. It comes as no surprise, then, that a hand held device, developed at the Montefiore Headache Center at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in Bronx, New York, is being touted as the newest of treatment options for those suffering with migraines.

The device itself transmits a trans cranial magnetic stimulation pulse to the back of the head, thereby interrupting the electrical activity in the brain that can trigger a migraine aura to occur. These early symptoms are usually associated with flashing lights, nausea, numbness or tingling, and other disturbances. The device was tested by approximately two hundred patients from sixteen various medical centers across the United States. The participants were randomly assigned the actual device or a placebo device that looked identical to the real one. Additionally, all of the individuals had previously been diagnosed with aura type migraines. Over the course of three months, they were asked to give two pulses to the back of their heads when they began to experience early signs of a migraine. Then, they were instructed to record their pain levels right after using the device, thirty minutes afterward, and then, after one, two, twenty-four, and forty-eight hours.

The researchers found that thirty-nine percent of the patients were pain free at the two hour mark after using the device. Moreover, some were even pain free forty-eight hours after using the product. As a comparison, those using the placebo device reported having no pain after two hours in approximately twenty-two percent of the test population. What is more is that no significant side effects were reported and the device was relatively easy to use.

Although, as with most studies, additional research into the device’s use will be necessary, it is a welcome advancement for the migraine treatment field. Many people who live with disorder are reluctant to take drugs or shots, due to their side effects and inconvenience. Even though the drugs are supposed to lessen the impact of the migraine symptoms, people find that they often need to leave work, school, or other activities to take them and wait out the pain. This can contribute to people not being able to work because of the disorder and corresponding treatment. With this device, however, people can take it with them, and experience relief from pain in a relatively short amount of time. Although it is not as small as the palm of your hand, nor is it an application that you can download on your I-Phone, this new device is likely to make a big impact on many migraine sufferers.