Infusion therapy helps migraine sufferers prevent attacks
Migraine headaches have the power to rob someone of their day or even week, and Americans experience them at a high rate, according to a study done by the National Institutes of Health.
The disabling nature of migraine headaches underscores the importance of their prevention — not just treatment.
An NIH report found that about one in every six Americans experiences a migraine headache within a three-month period. Women are more likely than men to suffer from migraines, as well as adults between 18 and 44 years of age, the NIH stated.
The difference between a common headache and a migraine is quite stark.
A headache is usually onesided, pulsating or thriving in nature, moderate to severe in pain, and aggravated by physical activity. A migraine has these characteristics with added symptoms. A migraine attack comes with a feeling of nausea, vomiting, light and sound sensitivity, and, for some, an aversion to smells.
“A migraine attack can also bring on other symptoms that may be unique to a person,” said Richard Kim, MD, headache specialist with the Clinical Neurosciences Institute. “People may experience non-headache symptoms, such as mood changes or irritability. Others may get food cravings, find themselves yawning a lot or have a stiff or painful neck. Other symptoms can include cognitive difficulties, feeling depressed and sensitivity to touch.”
Migraine headaches are considered a disabling neurological disease and are the second most common cause of disability in adults worldwide, second only to back pain, according to the NIH.
“One reason it is so debilitating is that it can affect a person during the most productive years of their lives,” Dr. Kim said, who practices with Premier Physician Network. “Some people go for years suffering from these headaches not knowing what they are. They don’t seek medical treatment and try to manage it on their own.”
In some cases, Dr. Kim said, some individuals may get misdiagnosed, losing out on the opportunity to receive treatment that could significantly help manage the issue. Medications to treat migraines have helped many to reduce the days or hours that they suffer from the pain. Migraine medicine is divided into acute medications that are taken when an attack happens and preventive treatments that help reduce the frequency, duration and severity if an attack were to happen.
A newer infusion therapy has been found to help prevent migraine attacks among those who suffer from the disorder several times a month. This therapy, known as Vyepti, uses monoclonal antibodies through an infusion that is done every three months at a medical facility to prevent attacks.
“The benefit is that patients don’t have to take a daily medication,” Dr. Kim said. “One of the downsides of an oral medication is that if someone misses one or two days, they are at risk for their headache to flare up. This can take four to six weeks before a patient realizes the benefit, where the infusion may deliver much quicker benefit.”
Another drawback of other oral medications is that many were first designed to address other health issues such as hypertension. Since they work for several conditions, these medications act on many different receptors in the body, which contributes to a longer list of potential side effects.
“To avoid these side effects, we have to start oral medications at a low dose and then increase over several weeks. This prolongs how long patients are suffering,” Dr. Kim said. “The nice thing about Vyepti is that you can start the full dosage right away.”
Medications like Vyepti are given at a Premier Health infusion center, which allows patients a more comfortable setting than an emergency center. Patients can also receive treatment for symptoms like nausea and vomiting, which cause dehydration. Dr. Kim encourages individuals to seek help for persistent headaches to determine if they are suffering from migraine attacks. This way they can seek treatment that will help them regain a quality of life.