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The American Food and Drug Administration has approved a new migraine treatment called Cefaly. This new treatment is the first noninvasive electronic device that looks like a head band and provides transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation. This new migraine treatment is made in Belgium by Cefaly Technology.
The FDA has described the new Cefaly device as a “portable, battery-powered, prescription device that resembles a plastic headband worn across the forehead and atop the ears.” It features a self-adhesive electrode that sends electrical current to the skin, stimulating the trigeminal nerve, the nerve responsible for facial sensations that is linked to causing migraines. The new migraine treatment is recommended for people of 18 or older and should be used only 20 minutes per day.
New Migraine Treatment – Side Effects
Data from the patient satisfaction study showed that over half (53 percent) of the participants were satisfied with the treatment and were willing to buy the device.
The study showed that 53% of the participants were pleased and wanted to buy the device. On the other hands, the complaints about the new device include sleepiness during the session and headaches. Another new migraine treatment is being developed by a Somerset County medical device manufacturer from New Jersey. The device is called gammaCore and is a razor-like instrument that sends electrical stimulation through the vagus nerve. It was produced by electroCore in Bernards and it currently awaits the FDA approval. The device has already been approved Canada, Australia, Brazil, India and Europe.
In America, 35 million people are suffering from migraines with headache attacks that last between 4 hours and several days. Statistically, women are more afflicted by migraines than men are.
Since the cause for migraines is not really understood by the scientists, there is no complete treatment for curing this illness. Environmental factors and genetics seem to play an important role in the development of migraines, scientists say.
According to a recent statistics by the Migraine Research Foundation, migraines cost American employers nearly 13 billion dollars in lost work days.
