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        New Message Board Archives >> Medications, Treatments, Therapies 2005 >> Do these new treatments work?
        
(Message started by: jman on Jan 6^th, 2005, 1:17am)

Title: Do these new treatments work?
Post by jman on Jan 6^th, 2005, 1:17am

I havent been on here for like 3 years so im not sure if these work or not so here are all the new treatements i've heard of since my last visit.

A new herb called Butterbur is suppost to help migranes alot.

The hormone melatonin, sold as a supplement, might help prevent cluster headaches, or reduce their severity, but more research is necessary.

Intravenous use of magnesium has shown promise for cluster headache relief. However, use of oral magnesium has not been evaluated for this purpose

This new thing for migranes that you put around your teeth that circulates cool water around your gums is suppost to stop migranes.

Title: Re: Do these new treatments work?
Post by jman on Jan 6^th, 2005, 1:34am

I also heard of a treatment for migranes where you remove a muscle in your head that triggers migranes. I know that migranes are different but some of the treatments work the same

Title: Re: Do these new treatments work?
Post by BobG on Jan 6^th, 2005, 1:52am

You are correct in saying that some treatments for migraine may be used for clusters. Imitrex is one.

But........a new herb Butterbur? That's a new one for me. I've never heard of it but there are a lot of things I've never heard of but I don't know what they are.

melatonin....many here use it as a sleep aid

magnesium...there has been some discussion on it recently.

The thing to put cool water on your teeth? Sounds really goofy to me. Clusters are not in the teeth, just sometimes it feels like it. The pain is from the trigeminal nerve that goes from your temple to the eye/nose/upper and lower jaw. IMHO that "thing" would not help with clusters.

Remove a muscle? NOT ME! Cluster are not triggered by muscles. They are trigged by vessals getting fat and pressing on the nerve. Take a muscle out and you'll probably get a non-smiling face and still have clusters.

Welcome back to the board.

Title: Re: Do these new treatments work?
Post by floridian on Jan 6^th, 2005, 2:08pm

Some recent research on Butterbur looks promising for migraines, dunno if it helps with clusters but it might.

Quote:

Neurology. 2004 Dec 28;63(12):2240-4.

Petasites hybridus root (butterbur) is an effective preventive treatment for migraine.

Lipton RB, Gobel H, Einhaupl KM, Wilks K, Mauskop A.

Department of Neurology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, 1165 Morris Park Ave., Rousso Bldg., Rm. 332, Bronx, NY 10461, USA. rlipton@aecom.yu.edu

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the clinical efficacy of a standardized special root extract from the plant Petasites hybridus as a preventive therapy for migraine. METHODS: This is a three-arm, parallel-group, randomized trial comparing Petasites extract 75 mg bid, Petasites extract 50 mg bid, or placebo bid in 245 patients with migraine. Eligible patients met International Headache Society criteria for migraine, were ages 18 to 65, and had at least two to six attacks per month over the preceding 3 months. The main outcome measure was the decrease in migraine attack frequency per month calculated as percentage change from baseline over a 4-month treatment period. RESULTS: Over 4 months of treatment, in the per-protocol analysis, migraine attack frequency was reduced by 48% for Petasites extract 75 mg bid (p = 0.0012 vs placebo), 36% for Petasites extract 50 mg bid (p = 0.127 vs placebo), and 26% for the placebo group. The proportion of patients with a > or =50% reduction in attack frequency after 4 months was 68% for patients in the Petasites extract 75-mg arm and 49% for the placebo arm (p < 0.05). Results were also significant in favor of Petasites 75 mg at 1, 2, and 3 months based on this endpoint. The most frequently reported adverse reactions considered possibly related to treatment were mild gastrointestinal events, predominantly burping. CONCLUSIONS: Petasites extract 75 mg bid is more effective than placebo and is well tolerated as a preventive therapy for migraine. Petasites 50 mg PO bid was not significantly more effective than placebo on the primary study endpoints.

Melatonin is useful for some episodics, doesn't seem to help as much with chronics. It should be started as soon as a cycle starts up (I usually get a week or two of warning between the start of a cycle and the first headache).

Quote:

Cephalalgia. 1996 Nov;16(7):494-6.

Melatonin versus placebo in the prophylaxis of cluster headache: a double-blind pilot study with parallel groups.

Leone M, D'Amico D, Moschiano F, Fraschini F, Bussone G. Centro Cefalee, Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milan, Italy.

A fall in nocturnal plasma melatonin occurs in patients with cluster headache, suggesting that melatonin may play a role in the promotion of attacks. During a cluster period, we administered melatonin to 20 cluster headache patients (2 primary chronic, 18 episodic) in a double-blind placebo-controlled study of oral melatonin 10 mg (n = 10) or placebo (n = 10) for 14 days taken in a single evening dose. Headache frequency was significantly reduced (ANOVA, p < 0.03) and there were strong trends towards reduced analgesic consumption (ANOVA, p < 0.06) in the treatment group. Five of the 10 treated patients were responders whose attack frequency declined 3-5 days after treatment, and they experienced no further attacks until melatonin was discontinued. The chronic cluster patients did not respond. No patient in the placebo group responded. There were no side effects in either group. Although the response rate is low, melatonin may be suitable for cluster headache prophylaxis in some patients, particularly those who cannot tolerate other drugs.

Quote:

Cephalalgia. 2001 Dec;21(10):993-5.

Melatonin in the preventive treatment of chronic cluster headache.

Peres MF, Rozen TD. Jefferson Headache Center, Department of Neurology, Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19107, USA. marioperes@yahoo.com

Cluster headache is a stereotypic headache disorder marked by short-lasting bouts of severe unilateral head pain and associated autonomic symptoms. Almost pathognomonic of this condition are nocturnal attacks that usually occur during the first random eye movement sleep phase of the evening. Melatonin levels have been found to be decreased in cluster headache patients. A lack of melatonin secretion may predispose the cluster sufferer to nocturnal and, possibly, daytime attacks. Leone et al. demonstrated that melatonin could rapidly alleviate cluster attacks, but only in episodic cluster patients. We report two chronic cluster headache patients who had both daytime and nocturnal attacks that were alleviated with melatonin.

Surgery to remove a muscle? Havent seen any research on that. There is a guy (Da Ali G or Da Ali S - "hear me, hear me, now...") who claims he has a miracle surgery, but it hasn't been proven. He routinely appears here under various fake names and plugs his surgery until his identity becomes clear apparent. For surgery, I would go to Dr. Borat first - he is with many experience in the veterinary research.

Title: Re: Do these new treatments work?
Post by jman on Jan 6^th, 2005, 7:01pm

I would appreciate alot of feedback from alot of you guys. Google some of the topics and tell me what you think. The butterbur thing is a new discovery and so is the surgrey.

Title: Re: Do these new treatments work?
Post by BlueMeanie on Jan 6^th, 2005, 7:29pm

Hello Jman,

I'll give ya my input. The melatonin and magnisium won't stop a CH. It may hold it off for awhile though. Let us know if the Butterbur works will ya. The thingy ya put around your teeth sounds like someone is trying to get rich quick. Oh.... Don't go gettin' your muscle removed. I'll bet the farm it won't help.

Title: Re: Do these new treatments work?
Post by Kris_in_SJ on Jan 6^th, 2005, 8:10pm

Hi Jman,

First, I urge you strongly not to have any muscles removed!

Magnesium is a supplement used by many here, but results vary. It gave me terrible stomach problems. Interesting to note, however, that Magnesium is often given to pregnant women who are "pre-eclampsic" or "eclampsic" meaning their blood vessels are severely constricted and B/P high.

Melatonin can be very useful for people who have hits soon after falling asleep. When taken in large enough doses before bed (I take 9mg - others take more), it can help depress REM sleep, which is when most night clusters occur.

Does any of this help? Hope so!

Kris

Title: Re: Do these new treatments work?
Post by jman on Jan 6^th, 2005, 8:32pm

Well the teeth thing works like a mouthpeace. But it was on teh news and works for migranes apparently.