Background and Objective: Migraine is a common neurological disorder affecting one billion people worldwide, causing disability, reduced quality of life, and high economic costs. Medical treatments have often limited efficacy and side effects. Non-pharmacological options such as trigeminal nerve stimulation with devices such as Cefaly® offer alternatives. This study assesses effectiveness of Cefaly®'s in reducing uncontrolled migraine symptoms alongside standard medications.
Methods: This study included 20 patients with migraine, with or without aura, intractable to conventional treatments. Participants used the Cefaly® device in addition to regular medication for external trigeminal nerve stimulation on the forehead. Migraine frequency, severity, and duration were assessed over one month using pre- and post-intervention questionnaires, with data analyzed by nonparametric methods due to the small sample size.
Results: The proportion of participants experiencing severe attacks dropped from 45% to 15% (P = 0.037). The frequency of attacks was reduced, with the percentage of participants having 3-5 attacks per month falling from 75% to 45%, and those with more than 5 attacks per month declining to 0% (P = 0.038). Attack duration also decreased, with a reduction in attacks lasting 12-24 hours from 35% to 20%, and those lasting more than 24 hours from 45% to 15% (P = 0.002).
Conclusion: Cefaly® could effectively reduce the severity, frequency, and duration of headaches in patients who do not respond conventional treatments, suggesting it as a promising non-pharmacological option. Further research with larger samples and longer follow-up is needed to confirm these findings and assess long-term efficacy.