The C.A.M. Report
Complementary and Alternative Medicine: Fair, Balanced, and to the Point

Archive for the 'Headache/Migraine' Category

TENS device FDA-approved for migraine prevention

Wednesday, March 12th, 2014

CEFALY_2_HR_sans les mainsIt’s the first device approved to prevent migraine headaches, and the first transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) device specifically authorized for use prior to the onset of pain.

Here’s what we know about Cefaly. (more…)

Risks due to energy drinks

Saturday, November 17th, 2012

In 2009, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration reported that more than 13,000 emergency room visits were associated with energy drinks.

Now, The New York Times tells us, FDA reports the caffeine drink, 5-hour Energy, may have been involved in 13 deaths over the past four years.

There’s no absolute proof that these drinks were the sole cause of these events. And the makers of 5-Hour Energy and Monster Energy insist their products are safe and unrelated to the problems reported to the FDA.

Regardless. (more…)

Lavender essential oil to treat migraine

Saturday, May 26th, 2012

It’s used for depression, headache, hypertension, insomnia, migraine, nervous tension, and other stress-related conditions.

Researchers in Germany and Iran conducted the first placebo-controlled study of lavender essential oil to treat migraine headaches. (more…)

CAM use among people with migraine

Thursday, January 26th, 2012

Researchers at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, in Boston, Massachusetts, report patterns and reasons for its use.

It’s not what you think. (more…)

Treating cervicogenic headache with spinal manipulation

Tuesday, January 10th, 2012

Cervicogenic headaches originate in the upper spine, neck, and upper shoulders. It can a byproduct of whiplash, neck injury, or muscle trauma.

Prof, Ernst and a colleague reviewed the evidence. (more…)

Feverfew and ginger treat migraine

Wednesday, January 4th, 2012

The drug class, triptans is considered the “gold standard” of migraine therapy. Yet, they have limitations and many patients are seeking other therapeutic alternatives.

Researchers in the US studied feverfew + ginger for treating attacks of migraine early during the mild headache phase. (more…)

Review: Yoga to treat pain

Tuesday, December 20th, 2011

Researchers at the University of Witten/Herdecke, in Germany, performed a meta-analysis on the effectiveness of yoga on pain and associated disability. (more…)

Predictors of a positive response to acupuncture for chronic pain

Thursday, December 1st, 2011

Researchers in Germany searched the records from almost 10,000 patients for predictors of a positive response. (more…)

Using the Internet to treat migraine

Thursday, October 13th, 2011

The value of the Internet has been demonstrated for behavioral treatment of headache disorders, but not specifically for migraine.

In this study, researchers at the University of Gavle, in Sweden, developed and evaluated Internet-based behavior treatment. (more…)

Review: Acupuncture to treat pain

Monday, October 10th, 2011

Prof. Ernst and a colleague reviewed previous Cochrane reviews. (more…)

Reviewing the value of music in pediatric healthcare

Saturday, June 18th, 2011

Researchers at Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital, Toronto, in Ontario, reviewed the evidence. (more…)

A systematic review of reflexology

Thursday, June 16th, 2011

ReflexologyTherapy[1]Prof. Ernst has reviewed all the studies. (more…)

Review: Spinal manipulation to treat migraine

Sunday, May 8th, 2011

Prof. Ernst reviewed the evidence. (more…)

Review: Biofeedback for headache

Thursday, May 5th, 2011

Dr. Frank Andrasik (photo) at the University of West Florida, in Pensacola has reviewed the evidence for each category of biofeedback.

Here’s what we know about preventive or acute therapy for migraine. (more…)

Product review: CoQ10 and ubiquinol

Monday, April 25th, 2011

CoQ10 and its activated form, ubiquinol, are popular supplements for treating or preventing a range of conditions including congestive heart failure, migraine headache, high blood pressure, and Parkinson’s disease — although none of the evidence is conclusive.

ConsumerLab.com tested 31 products for content and dosing. (more…)

Using the Internet to manage headache in children

Tuesday, March 22nd, 2011

The benefits of 2 self-help training programs (multimodal cognitive-behavioral training [CBT] and applied relaxation [AR]) presented via the Internet were compared by researchers from the University of Göttingen, in Germany. (more…)

Experience with neurofeedback for migraine

Sunday, March 6th, 2011

Dr. Jonathan Walker at the Neurotherapy Center of Dallas, in Texas, studied patients with recurrent migraine headaches. (more…)

The smoking/migraine connection

Thursday, February 3rd, 2011

Researchers from the University Hospital Marques de Valdecilla, in Santander, Spain studied the relationship between migraine and smoking. (more…)

Homeopathic treatment of migraine

Monday, October 4th, 2010

Researchers at Charite University Medical Center, in Berlin, Germany, studied the effects of individualized homeopathic treatment in patients with migraine being treated with usual care. (more…)

Benefits of massage during chronic tension headache

Friday, July 9th, 2010

Researchers in the US and Spain observed benefits after a single session. (more…)