Spinal Cord Stimulation trial announced
A number of electronic devices have been suggested and tried for chronic pain, including the symptoms of migraine. You can see a good example of one of these devices and how it works by watching the video available at www.controlyourpain.com.
This site reports on the Precision rechargeable Spinal Cord Stimulation (SCS) system. It’s already being used for chronic pain issues such as back pain. But the company announced today in the US that the FDA has approved a new trial for migraine patients.
It will be interesting to see how the device works on the complex web of symptoms that make up a migraine attack. As you will see, the main purpose of the device is to deal with pain. Will it have other results? Of course, some of the other problems related to migraine must become worse when pain is present. Pain itself, although usually an important warning system in the body, can cause a number of problems its own when it goes crazy in the body.
As we’ve talked about here before, this is a quickly growing market, and new devices are being developed quickly. For a voice of personal experience with a nerve stimulation device, and an introduction to some of the major players, check out this post from Kerrie at The Daily Headache from August. Again, for a good video outlining a device in QuickTime or Windows Media format, click the link above.
11 November 2005 @ 2:08 am
Thanks for the info, James.
As a nerve stimulator guinea pig, I’ve learned first-hand that the devices are for pain relief, but don’t help the neurological symptoms.
Now that the stimulator has reduced my pain, I am even more aware of how significant all the other symptoms of migraine are — dizziness, word loss, mania in prodrome, nausea, hallucinating smells (or sounds of sights), etc.
But this is the case with most pain-focused treatments, like nerve blocks, painkillers and even Botox.
Also, the government’s clinical trials website lists two other studies of occipital nerve stimulators that are recruiting participants. One’s being tested in locations throughout the US (http://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct/gui/show/ NCT00200109?order=1) and the other is in the UK (http://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct/gui/show/ NCT00205829?order=2).
Kerrie
16 November 2005 @ 7:53 pm
It’s good to hear from a guinea pig! 🙂 I’m sure some patients would be relieved to just get rid of the pain, though for others pain is certainly not the main worry.