31 Jan Can Stem Cell Therapy Help Severe Migraine?
Over 37 million Americans are known to suffer from migraines. Yet, despite the condition’s prevalence, migraines are still challenging to treat due to various causes.For some patients, the symptoms of migraines are moderate, occur periodically, and are receptive to traditional treatment methods. However, other cases feature severe, frequent pains.
Medical professionals successfully employ stem cell therapy for various medical and physical conditions.Today, this regenerative treatment option is also explored for severe migraines that have stopped responding to traditional treatment methods. But how effective can stem cell therapy manage severe and chronic migraines?
WHAT ARE CHRONIC MIGRAINES?
A migraine is a severe headache that usually affects one side of the head. Several symptoms accompany migraines, including nausea, vomiting, and extreme sensitivity to light and noise. Migraines share many standard features with headaches; however, unlike typical headaches, migraines can last for long periods.
The exact triggers for an attack are still not established, but recent studies attribute lifestyle and hormonal factors as likely triggers. Depending on the severity, people dealing with migraines often require medications or treatment plans to cope with the symptoms. However, over-the-counter headache drugs are hardly practical for any form of migraine.
TRADITIONAL TREATMENT FOR MIGRAINES
No specific cure has been developed for migraines. But medical professionals suggest treatment plans to help patients to control the symptoms and triggers, thus, preventing future occurrences. Some common treatment options include;
- Therapy:This involves medical professionals identifying specific triggers and stressors and working with patients to avoid them. Identifying and avoiding migraine triggers can prevent them from occurring.
- Relievers: Healthcare givers also prescribe migraine relievers to treat the symptoms during an episode. Medications include strong pain relievers, ergots, triptans, anti-nausea medications, and more.
- Preventive medications: These are drugs taken regularly to prevent future migraine attacks. Preventive medications are reserved for chronic migraine cases as these drugs have side effects. Some preventive medications include anti-seizure drugs, botox, and cardiovascular medications.
STEM CELL THERAPY FOR MIGRAINE
Stem cells can differentiate into several other types of cells and regenerate dead cells. As such, they have been explored for their potential to address various degenerative medical conditions. However, while migraines are not exactly characterized by neuronal degeneration, several investigative studies of stem cell therapy as a possible treatment option for severe migraines have shown early promise.
Stem cell therapy for migraines involves stem cells extracted from a patient’s bone marrow and injected into the artery. This ensures the cells reach the patient’s veins at the highest possible concentration. When injected, the stem cells replace unhealthy cells, resulting in quick and safe relief from migraines in most cases.
To date, there has been no significant evidence reported showing MSC’s either cause or exacerbate tumor activity. In fact, there has been plenty of evidence showcasing the opposite. MSC’s may actually be detrimental to tumor formation!
In a recent trial, researchers attempted to use stem cell therapy to treat migraines in four women aged between 36 to 44. All patients had long histories of migraines and met the International Classification of Headache Disorders criteria for chronic migraine.
After employing stem cell injections, all four women noticed significant improvements in their headache frequency. They could also substantially reduce pain medications long after stem cell therapy.
Other trials and studies have suggested how effective stem cell therapy could be for severe migraines. Evidently, much more work needs to be done, but current indications indicate positive outcomes.
As such, if you or a loved one is suffering from severe and chronic migraines, tension, or cluster headaches, contact R3 Stem Cell today to request a stem cell therapy evaluation.
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