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Emerging treatments for migraine
By Mayo Clinic staffVarious emerging treatments may provide new approaches to treating migraines. Although additional research is needed, you may want to ask your doctor about these novel treatments.
Botox injections
Botulinum toxin type A (Botox) injections — used to smooth and reduce facial wrinkles by temporarily paralyzing certain muscles — seem to help some people who have migraines. In addition to causing paralysis, Botox injections may have an effect on the surrounding nerves, interfering with their ability to transmit pain signals.
But the ability of Botox injections to prevent migraines has not been reproduced consistently in randomized, controlled studies. Injections of Botox typically work about as well as placebo injections. However, either type of injection works better than no injection at all. Many headache specialists feel that this treatment is sometimes effective and may recommend it — especially when multiple other preventive treatments have failed to be effective.
Experimental medications
During a headache, your body releases a chemical in your brain known as calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP). This chemical is thought to play a central role in migraines and other types of headaches by altering blood flow to the brain and pain-sensitive tissues. Medication to block the effects of CGRP (CGRP antagonists) may help ease or prevent migraine attacks. There are ongoing studies evaluating medication that has this mechanism of action.
Surgery to repair heart defect
People who have migraines are also more likely to have a small hole in the membrane that separates the two upper chambers of their hearts. This birth defect — called patent foramen ovale (PFO) — is common, occurring in a third of the population, and it usually requires no repair. But some people who have had the repair of the defect also report that their migraines have improved. However, at this time, there is no convincing evidence that this is an effective treatment for migraine. Further, there are potential risks with the procedure to close the PFO.
Migraine FAQs: An interview with a Mayo Clinic specialist Complementary and alternative therapies for migraine
