There’s good news for women who suffer migraines—and most other types of headaches—which they do at twice the rate of men. Headaches are one area where the new focus on prevention can be seen in a host of treatment options, including Botox. Considered experimental just a few years ago, Botox injections (in which the botulinum toxin type A is used to paralyze specific muscles in the forehead, brow, temples, and neck) is now offered by many hospital pain clinics. Botox is also extremely effective for certain types of neck pain, such as cervical dystonia.
Another treatment that’s crossing over from fringy “alternative” practitioners to mainstream pain clinics is neuromodulation, a.k.a. transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS). “Think of TENS as acupuncture without needles that you can wear at home,” says Joseph Shurman, MD, pioneer of a new pain-management model at Scripps Memorial Hospital in La Jolla, California, and chairman of pain management.
Extremely effective for neck pain, back pain, and some kinds of headaches, the treatment involves applying electrodes to the skin to stimulate particular nerves. “Neuromodulation works by trying to change the pain message into something else,” Kirschen says.
Acupuncture is also a routine part of treatment in many headache clinics; it’s used in conjunction with pain medication and other treatments. Women seem to respond particularly well to this therapy, Young says. “There are certain acupuncture points that are better for women than for men,” he adds.
By Melanie Haiken
Comments (7)
Wow! This is great news for women related to Headache Cures that headaches are the one area where the new focus on prevention can be seen in a host of treatment options, including Botox. Acupuncture is also a routine part of treatment in many headache clinics; it’s used in conjunction with pain medication and other treatments. Women seem to respond particularly well to this therapy.
Hi, read your post about pain relief and neuromodulation, I work for a company that specializes in this, check out our company news blog to learn how neuromodulation helps patients with pain.
I recently attended the first-ever conference on women in pain. It was both enlightening and empowering. For those who are interested, I wrote about it on my blog: http://dancingwithpain.com/women-in-pain-conference/
your post is quite knowldgeable
How can I get ride of headaches behind your eyes? I took meds for it never work!
That is hopeful news for many headache sufferers. I have seen TENS units work great for back pain, but its great to know it works well for headaches.
Dr Douglas Yost Shoreview, MN Headache Specialist
I’ve suddenly developed this sick headache and intermittent waves of nausea. The come on, stay put for about 1/2 hr to 2 hrs, then away they go, and I think “Thank God”. Then, suddenly, perhaps insidiously, they are back…that wave of nausea, headache that is all over, but perhaps more frontal, depends.
I’m beginning to worry, and, being a nurse, horrific diagnosis come to mind. I just moved, the house has NO new paint, no use of big time cleaning equipment. Is this something that might be linked to a ‘flu’ bug? Pancreas disorder? sinusitis? Lord, the list of possibilities goes on and on. First and formost- what should I look into? REALLY would like some feedback and direction. Cannot live indefinately with this. Also, diagnosed with Fibro about 6 years ago- stable, no headaches, but for near daily pain, I take Ultram- this going on 4 years now.