Non-Pharmaceutical Treatments

11/16/2020

This week I researched more about the triggers of Migraines as well as possible non-pharmaceutical techniques that could be used to alleviate headache pain. From my research, I discovered that exercise could be both a trigger and type of treatment for headaches and understood the benefits of using exercise as part of a treatment plan beyond just dealing with pain. One interesting thing I learnt was the need for “evidence-based non-pharmacological approaches” to complement pharmacological treatments in migraine and headache medicine as it may be beneficial to not just patients living in developed nations, but also for patients suffering from migraines in lesser-developed countries that are not able to receive the same amount of care due to their lack of healthcare technology and framework. Further research could allow exercise to act as a prophylaxis by itself. However, my research also suggested exercise may lead to an increase in headache pain, but I believe this is due to a separate condition called primary exertional headaches or PEH and, although, this condition is often comorbid with Migraines it much more uncommon. I wondered if these types of headaches also exhibit Cortical Spreading Depression or CSD from my previous research, which is the depolarization of neural potential across the brain and often acts as a precursor to migraines. As I continue to research possible treatment and diagnosis plans for Migraines I will connect the effect of exercise on migraines to upcoming Pharmaceutical treatments in the field in order to understand the extent they play in decreasing migraine severity and frequency.