Transcranial Magnetic Stimulator: Zap Away Migraine Pain

Their may be some relief on the horizon for migraine suffers with aura. The TMS, which stands for transcranial magnetic stimulator is a portable device that is showing promising results of zapping away the pain of migraine suffers with Aura. According to the American Headache Society over 35 million Americans suffer from migraine headaches each year. Approximately around 30% experience visual and other sensory warning signs.

Migraines with Aura are migraines that symptoms are experienced shortly before the migraine sets in. This also is known as prodrome. It is not known for sure what causes these type of migraines, it is believed that an off balance of serotonin and dopamine play apart with the malfunction that goes on in the brain which causes the throbbing headache.

The medications normally prescribed for migraines are not normally affective during the aura stage. That is why the early findings and results rendered from the TMS are of such interest. The test study was completed on 201 patients who experienced from one to eight migraine headaches a month with Aura symptoms. Half were given the portable zapping device to use at home when symptoms occurred the others were given the device, but no magnetic pulses were transmitted. All patients were asked to release two pulses to the back of the head when they felt migraine pain forming,and then record pain intensity and any results experienced. 39% of the group with the properly working TMS device reported that all migraine symptoms were gone within 2 hours. This is promising news for migraine suffers and the physicians that treat them. More research is needed with other variables introduced.

The complete study can be reviewed in the online issue of The Lancet Neurology.