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Subcutaneous Sumatriptan for Cluster Headache

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An recently updated survey of triptan for cluster studies came up with a winner:  subcutaneous sumatriptan.

Of course, there weren’t a lot of competitors.  Cluster headache is rare and therefore the studies are few.

Other contestants included the placebo (the clear loser), oral zolmitriptan and intranasal zolmitriptan.

Because cluster symptoms are so fast and furious, oral medications generall do poorly.  That leaves us with the intranasal zolmitriptan and subcutaneous sumatriptan.

Intranasal medications are taken, as you may guess, through the nose.  It’s a fast way to get medications into the body without the needle factor.

Only about 28% of patients were left with no pain or mild pain after taking the intranasal zolmitriptan.

Sumavel DosePro

Finally, subcutaneous sumatriptan.  Subcutaneous is a fancy word that usually refers to an injection.  However, medications such as Sumavel DosePro are needle-free.

Patients who took the subcutaneous sumatriptan did the best.  Three quarters had little or no pain within 15 minutes.

Learn more about subcutaneous sumatriptan here.  This article is more focused on migraine, and does warn about using sumatriptan before talking to your doctor, which is always important.

Study abstract:  Triptans for acute cluster headache.

Are You “Misaligned”? There’s an App for that…

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One of the more under-utilized areas of migraine treatment includes physical therapy, massage, and chiropractic therapy.  There are countless different approaches, some excellent, and some with little medical evidence.

But a lot of this approach simply has to do with keeping your body properly aligned.  That’s certainly the focus of Noel Frayne, RMT.

No Pain for iOS
No Pain for Android

Frayne was treating patients at the Victoria Headache Clinic in Victoria, Canada.  The clinic closed in 2009 when he retired, but he started looking to technology to continue his work.

That led to the app with the ambitious name “No Pain“, currently available for iOS and Android.

The former clinic’s website explains the approach in this way:

Treat only the misaligned pelvic girdle and everything else has the potential to correct itself.  Treat everything but the misaligned pelvic girdle and the problems will, inevitably, return.

Until the pelvis is treated, the body’s innate postural balancing influences will continue compensating for the asymmetry and perpetuating the adaptive muscle tension and Migraine pain patterns.

The Victoria Headache Clinic treatment approach is quite simple:

  1. Confirm the presence of the pattern.
  2. Realign the pelvic girdle.  Treat the pattern of adaptive changes.
  3. Teach the patient how to correct and maintain the pelvic alignment.
No Pain - clear instructions and pictures

When you open the app, you’ll see a series of tests that will help you self-diagnose alignment problems.  Very clear pictures will make it easy to understand what to do.

The benefit of having this app on your iPhone, iPad or Android is that you’ll also have a quick reference to quick, easy exercises and positions which will help you correct the problem.

While an app may not give you the interaction of a massage therapist or physical therapist, the outlay of cash is a lot less and it is always with you.  This is another drug-free approach that may help alleviate headache and migraine symptoms, and at least get you thinking about movement and body position, which really are important if you want to lower head and body pain for life.

Get No Pain for iPod/iPad/iPhone or for Android.

Why Cefaly won’t solve all our problems (and what to do instead)

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Once again the solution to our problems is coming from all directions – this time it’s the Cefaly device, recently approved in the USA.  Along with that approval comes promotion promotion promotion.

Now I’m not knocking the device itself.  They Cefaly is a transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) device.  This isn’t new and surprising technology for migraine, but it is a technology that is probably still in its infancy.

Cefaly has shown great promise, and does seem to help some migraine patients decrease their number of attacks (this test showed a 30% improvement).

How well it will do over the long haul – well, we’ll have to wait and see.

Again, the use of electrical and magnetic stimulation isn’t new.  What is emerging now is the use of personal devices, which is a tremendously important innovation because migraine attacks can be treated early, before the vicious cycle of symptoms gets out of control.

So I hope this device, and others like it, help many of you.

But Cefely won’t solve all our problems.  For example, it only helps with certain types of migraine, not with every headache condition.  And it’s not a cure – in fact, it will likely only lessen your attacks.

Finally, there are still a lot of patients that will not be helped at all.

So what should I do instead?

If your doctor thinks that Cefaly will help you, and you have the money to spend, give it a try.  Again, I’m not discouraging the use of Cefely.

But what if you can’t try it, don’t feel comfortable with it, or what if it just doesn’t work?

Cefaly is attractive because it’s a non-drug treatment, and it’s (fairly) convenient.  But there are other options.

If you like the idea of a gadget to help you, try a biofeedback device.  Biofeedback has a lot of scientific evidence behind it.  If you can take the time, see a specialist to get you started.

Another excellent device is the SootheAway Continuous Thermal Therapy Device, which is excellent for various types of headache.

Though some people laugh off “home remedies”, many are very helpful, and also have a lot of evidence behind them.  For example, a compress, cold and heat, and neck stretches.  More ideas on home remedies here.

Cold and heat comes in many different forms.  From an ice pack and water bottle to the much more sophisticated SootheAway Device, to simply warming your hands in hot water.

Though not quite as convenient, massage is, I believe, an under-used migraine treatment.  If you have someone who can give you a good massage at the onset of a headache, that’s great.  If not, try self-massage, or see a massage therapist for treatment and further ideas.

A great idea is to find two or three things that work for you, and then make a “kit” that’s ready, and, if possible, that travels with you, so that you’re ready for that next attack.

Don’t be discouraged!

If the Cefaly hasn’t worked for you, don’t give up.  In addition to the few treatments I’ve mentioned above, there are many, many excellent treatments available.

And remember, devices like the Cefaly are still new – if they work well, we can expect to see many more on the market in the years ahead.

10 Highlights from the past 3 Months (March 2014 edition)

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No time to read every article on the site?  This is where you find articles from the last three months – the top 10 with guests to this site.  Catch up on the latest!

The most popular come first…

  1. A Migraine in (animated) Action
  2. “Proof” that Headaches are caused by Stress?
  3. Vitamin D: An important Migraine Treatment?
  4. Ibuprofen: Dangers of a “mild” medication…
  5. What is Triptan-Overuse Headache?
  6. The Hidden Ingredient in Your Painkillers
  7. Pop, Soda, Soft Drinks – the Headache Connection
  8. Does the Smell of an Onion Trigger Migraine?
  9. Why Spitting it out could Stop Headache Pain
  10. Tinnitus (are you hearing things?)

Cefaly: Now Available in the USA (for less)

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Last year we introduced you to the Cefaly anti-migraine device, a convenient non-drug migraine treatment device.

Cefaly Site USA

Now Cefaly has a direct US website, with a currently less expensive option than amazon.  This is after the FDA approval of the device earlier this month.

In order to purchase from the new website, you will need to email a copy of your prescription.  At this point, it’s unlikely that your insurance will cover the cost of the device.

However, the savings to US customers at the new site will no doubt allow many more to try the device.

Visit the new site at Migraine Prevention Cefaly

via:  The Daily Headache

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The articles on Headache and Migraine News are © 2004-2026 J. Cottrill.
Every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of each article, and to point you to further sources of information. However, this site is for informational purposes only and should never replace a visit to your doctor.