Migraines and other similar headaches are among the most common causes I see for people filing for Social Security disability. People who endure migraines suffer really debilitating symptoms. These can include being unable to tolerate even light and sound. Those having a migraine headache may also have nausea and vomiting. While there are drugs and other treatments available, it often seems as if doctors have very little to offer those poor souls with migraines.
New Hope For A Better Therapy?
That may be changing. According to the New York Times, medical researchers are focusing on something called a calcitonin gene-related peptide, or CGRP. This is critically involved in the way the brain handles pain. For unknown reasons, CGRP can become overactive. While this does not cause pain in the brain itself, the brain can respond by sending intense pain signals elsewhere in the head. One likely place for these signals to cause havoc is in the meninges. These lie between the brain and the skull. As a result, a person having a migraine will suffer from the symptoms noted above. This might explain why so many migraine sufferers have to retreat to a quiet, dark, and still place until the pain has gone.
A New Drug Seems Promising–But What About The Downsides?
A new class of drugs is designed to turn off CGRP and prevent the brain from sending errant pain signals. The drugs can apparently do this without causing serious side effects. But, as always, there are downsides. These drugs are extremely expensive and many health insurers are balking at paying for them. The CGRP blockers also simply fail to work for some people with migraines.
Doctors Are More Focused On Headaches As Their Own Problem
But, it is encouraging that medical researchers are starting to take headaches seriously. Until now, all treatments for migraines arose from the search for treatments of such other conditions as seizures and depression. The mere fact that doctors are now looking at headaches as their own pathology is a good sign.
No Cure Is Coming Soon
If you suffer from migraines, none of this new research is likely to assist you anytime soon. But, with some luck and a lot more funding, medical researchers might be getting closer to an effective way to turn off this crippling pain.
If you have migraines that prevent you from working, let me know.
