External concurrent occipital and trigeminal neurostimulation relieves migraine pain: Study

USA: In a randomized environment, external concurrent occipital and trigeminal neurostimulation offered quick and lasting relief and freedom from migraine pain and accompanying symptoms, says an article published in Headache.

Patients with migraine who are resistant to first-line medications or who choose not to receive pharmaceutical therapy frequently employ non-invasive neuromodulation devices stimulating a single peripheral nerve or anatomic distribution. In an invasive situation, concurrent occipital and trigeminal stimulation was documented; nevertheless, the safety cost surpassed the effectiveness benefit. Stewart J. Tepper and colleagues carried out this study in order to assess the effectiveness and safety of an external concurrent occipital and trigeminal device in the acute treatment of migraine

The International Classification of Headache Disorders (2018) diagnostic criteria for migraine with or without aura, 1-6 migraine episodes per month, and other headaches no more than 6 days per month were satisfied by patients 18 years of age or older who qualified. 109 of the 131 individuals with an intention to treat were treated for at least one migraine attack.

The primary effectiveness outcome was a decrease in migraine headache intensity (pain alleviation) 2 hours after the start of therapy. The secondary objectives were pain reduction at 1 hour, pain independence, and relief of the most troublesome symptom at 2 hours after treatment started. One of the exploratory objectives was persistent pain freedom 24 hours after therapy began and relief from the most troublesome symptom at 2 hours.