(March 5, 2010 - Insidermedicine)

Single-pulse transcranial magnetic stimulation (sTMS) appears to help eliminate the pain of migraine and help sufferers remain pain-free, according to research published online ahead of print in The Lancet Neurology.

Here are some situations in which prophylactic treatment for migraine headache might be appropriate, according to the European Federation of Neurological Societies:

•    Quality of life, business duties, or school attendance are severely impaired

•    Frequency of attacks per month is two or higher

•    Migraine attacks do not respond to acute drug treatment

Researchers out of the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York randomized 201 adults suffering from migraine with aura to sTMS or sham stimulation. Patients were instructed to treat up to three attacks over three months while experiencing aura.

Among the 164 patients who treated at least one migraine attack during the study period, 39% of those in the sTMS group were pain-free after two hours, as compared with only 22% in the sham group. Sustained pain-free response rates at 24 and 48 hours were also higher among those who received active therapy.

Today's research suggests that sTMS could be a potential new, drug-free option for the management of migraine headaches.