Headaches, particularly migraine headaches, are a major source of misery and disability in our country. They cost employers and insurers literally hundreds of millions of dollars every year in the US alone.
We at the RNI have always tried to get to the root cause of headaches. Oftentimes this involves investigating sleep and neck issues in people who can have migraine. For those who still have headaches, sometimes daily medication therapy can help. The oldest of these is probably amitriptyline, and the cheapest is aspirin. There are many other drugs, some of which are very expensive, and all of which have side effects.
Triptans, the first of which was Imitrex (sumatriptan), were a godsend for people with migraine in the acute phase. These medications can oftentimes be given in more rapidly acting ways. But not everyone can take triptans, because these medications are among the most potent coronary artery constrictors known. And other people have had previous strokes, and cannot take them.
So a new class of medications, called Calcitonin Gene Receptor Peptide (CGRP) blockers are being developed to try to interrupt migraine and pain pathways deep in the brain, and try to intercept the signals that actually provoke and worsen migraine. The Headache Center at the RNI is participating in trials of these new medications.
We’ve used Botox for many years, which is FDA approved for chronic migraine. Botox seems to work in headache prevention through its interaction with the CGRP receptor, different from its action in spasticity and cosmetic applications.
Botox seems to be particularly effective in headache caused by Hypermobility Syndromes, like Ehlers-Danlos syndrome. But we need other effective drugs to treat migraine, and that’s what the clinical trials are all about.
Call 913-827-4261 to see if you qualify for one of these trials. Or click the button now. Take back your life from migraine. You’ll be glad you did.
TAKE YOUR LIFE BACK FROM MIGRAINE
The Headache Center at RNI helps more than 90% of patients eliminate or manage their headaches, including migraine headaches. Many of them thought they had “tried everything” — which usually means a frustrating cycle of drugs and side-effects. If you’ve been suffering from migraines in Kansas City with no relief, you need to come see us.
The Headache Center at RNI helps more than 90% of patients eliminate or manage their headaches, including migraine headaches. Many of them thought they had “tried everything” — which usually means a frustrating cycle of drugs and side-effects. If you’ve been suffering from migraines in Kansas City with no relief, you need to come see us.
Over thirty years of treating migraine patients in Kansas City, RNI founder Dr. Vernon Rowe has found that the only way to consistently relieve patients’ pain is to identify the root causes and triggers. We can then keep most patients headache-free, with only occasional medication when necessary.
In difficult cases we can go to the cutting edge of medications, and that’s why we participate in clinical trials. But we always try to apply our non-medication knowledge first, because it’s the best way to give you long-term relief, and avoid as many side effects as possible from chronic medication use.