Migraine treatment is difficult because not a lot is known about the disease. Yes, it’s a neurological disease and yes, it’s more than just chronic pain, but beyond that the answers aren’t too clear. On top of that, chronic pain, a component of migraine and any sort of headache disorder, is also a largely unknown entity.
In a five-year study that began this week, scientists seek to understand how the pain process works. Using imaging technology, researchers will examine the brains and nervous systems of people in pain. Their goals include to finding new ways to measure pain and laying the groundwork for more effective treatments.
The inadequacy of current pain treatment, physiological effects of chronic pain and ineffectiveness of subjective pain measurements are among topics discussed in the article. If the studies are even partially successful, the research findings will vastly expand the current knowledge of chronic pain. That’s big news.
Hi Teresa,
Unfortunately, your story is common for many chronic headache sufferers. Triptans are great for migraines for some people, but preventives drugs come up short. The hope is that knowing more about pain processes will lead to better preventive drugs.
Although the thought of taking painkillers is a little scary, the side effects might be more tolerable than other drugs used for headache management. Also, the fogginess and lack of control I associate with painkillers seem bearable compared to chronic pain. This is all secondhand knowledge, but it may be worth a try.
Take care.
-Kerrie
Try this link, Bure: http://www.kingsch.nhs.uk/news/details.asp?item=103. It’s the press release from the college.
-Kerrie
I have been in chronic pain for 14 years. Many Doctors and many drugs and many diagonis’s. But still no relief. I guess I need pain mangement. I getting tried of spending money for nothing that works.
The link isn’t working for me 🙁