Magnets For Migraines

Main Category: Headache / Migraine
Article Date: 19 May 2009 - 0:00 PDT

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New animal research suggests that a noninvasive therapy called transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) may help treat chronic migraines.

During TMS, the electrical activity in the brain is influenced by a pulsed magnetic field generated through coils of wire. The wires are wrapped in plastic and held close to the scalp. The location of the device allows for stimulation of specific areas of the brain.

In earlier human research, TMS relieved pain more effectively than placebo in patients who had migraines with auras, which are visual sensations (such as flashes of light) that occur before or during the pain of a migraine.

In this latest study, presented at the annual American Academy of Neurology scientific meeting in Seattle, researchers aimed to learn exactly how TMS may affect the brain to improve pain symptoms.

The authors found that the magnetic pulses of TMS may disrupt abnormal brain waves that have been linked to migraines. However, the authors state that more research in humans is needed to fully understand how TMS affects chronic migraines.

TMS has also been studied as a potential therapy for chronic or treatment-resistant depression. Some research suggests that therapy may down regulate beta-adrenergic receptors and subsequently increase the levels of dopamine and serotonin in the brain.

References

1. American Academy of Neurology. http://www.aan.com
2. Natural Standard: The Authority on Integrative Medicine.http://www.naturalstandard.com. Copyright © 2009.
3. University of California, San Francisco. http://www.ucsf.edu

Source
Natural Standard