The complex nature of migraines often leads to confusion, misdiagnosis and mistreatment. There is an excellent article from the Journal of Neuroscience "Migraine: Multiple Processes, Complex Pathophysiology (abstract below). Treatment of migraine can often be very easy but the traditional approach can make migraines more difficult to treat.
Treatment and Elimination of headaches and migraines is most effective if it addresses both the Autonomic and Somatosensory nervous systems.
According to this paper " These molecular, anatomical, and functional abnormalities provide a neuronal substrate for an extreme sensitivity to fluctuations in homeostasis, a decreased ability to adapt, and the recurrence of headache. " This means that it is a disturbance in Homeostasis of the brain. It is important to understand this because the primary cause of changes occuring in the brain is from neurological and vascular input from the body. The single largest source of input is through the Trigeminal Nerve.
Homeostasis is when all systems are in proper balance and actively respond to changes to restore thaty balance, ie Homeostasis. This can be compared to a computer, when is is in balance all of software and hardware work correctly. We have all had a computer crash or lock up. This would be equivilant to losing Homeostasis. We reset our computer with "Control /Alt /Delete" which turns off the computer and resets it to the correct settings. The best way to treat migraines is to reset our brain to restore Homeostasis. The reasons computers crash is usually an I /O or input /Output error or simply "GARBAGE IN / GARBAGE OUT" This article will discuss resetting the brain or finding our Control/Alt/ Delete button for our brain to decrease or eliminate headaches and migraines.
Noxious input from the Trigeminal Nerve to the brain responsible for almost all headaches and migraines. Noxious input is essentially the "Garbage in". If there is too much garbage in the computer crashes; in terms of our brain this would be symptoms of headache, migraine, dizziness, tinnitus or many other common symptoms.
There are two types of nerves that travel through the Trigeminal Nervous System, Somatosensory nerves and Autonomic Nerves. The Somatosensory Nervous System is the part we are aware of using, how we move, use our muscles, and do most of our daily activities. When there are issues with pain or dysfunction we adjust using the Somatosensory nerves.
The Autonomic Nervous System is where activities we don't control occur. This can be heart rate, digestion, love, fear, how are pupils dilate or constrict in response to light or we get goose bumps or shiver in response to cold or sweat in response to excessive heat. We cannot voluntarily control these or have only partial control
The Autonomic Nervous System is divided into two divisions the Sympathetic division and the Parasympathetic division. The sympathetic division is responsible for preparing our bodies to take action. The Sympathetic reflex is the "Fight or Flight reflex" We send blood to our brain and muscles and get ready to defend ourselves or run like crazy. For a more primitive lifestyle this is perfect but if you are sitting in a classroom or an office this reflex causes chronic stress.
The Parasympathetic Division gives us the "Feed and Breed" or "Eat and Digest" reflex. It sends blood to our gut, slows are heart rate, allows sleep, rest, feelings of love and friendship, puts you into the mood for romance, gives us the good feeling we get playing with babies, puppies and kittens. If the Sympathetic reflex helps the indivdual survive the parasympathetic iprovides for survival of the species.
We require a balance of these two systems to survive and usually one or the other predominates depending on what is happening in our life. If the sympathetic system gets "stuck on" we suffer from stress diseases. This was first described by Hans Selye in his book "The Stress of Life" He was one of the first to explain the adverse health effects of stress on our brain and body. This includes headaches and migraines.
When we get out Sympathetic system "Stuck on" it creates problems and destroys the state of homeostasis leaving us "out of balance" This is the equivilant of our computer crashing. To reset our brain we need to reset our autonomic nervous system. One reset button is the Sphenopalatine Ganglion (SPG) Block
For headaches, Migraines, Anxiety and Stress diseases the switch to reset our autonomic nervous system is the Sphenopalatine Ganglion located on the maxillary division of the Trigeminal Nerve in the Pterygopalatine fossa. It is a small part of the brain outside the calvarium where most of the brain is and located behind the nose.
A Sphenopalatine Ganglion (SPG) Block can reset the brain and turn off many types os sympathetic overloads, often giving instant relief of migraines, chronic headaches, tension-type headaches and cluster headaches. Due to the position behind the nose it is easily accessible. I will explain more about SPG Blocks later.
The second method that can easily reset brain and restore Homeostasis is thru Neuromuscular Dentistry. Neuromuscular Dentistry utilizes an Ultra Low Frequency (ULF) TENS to relax muscles innervated by the fifth cranial nerve (trigeminal nerve) and the seventh cranial nerve (facial nerve).
While pulsing the muscles the myomonitor also acts as a stimulator or neuromodulator of the Sphenopalatine ganglion, resetting the autonomic nervous system and returning us to a state of Homeostasis.
Both methods of affecting the Sphenopalatine Ganglion return us to Homeostasis by different pathways. The SPG Blocks can be done by injection but the most common method is by nasal catheter. Three commercial devices utilized are the Sphenocath, the Allevio and the TX 360. They are all basically squirt guns that squirt anesthetic to the mucosa over the Pterygopalatine Fossa that holds the Ganglion and are usually done in the ER or in a Neurologist's office.
The best method, in my opinion is to teach patients to self -administer SPG Blocks using cotton-tipped catheters that offer continual capillary feed of anesthetic to the area of the ganglion. Regardless of the method used SPG Blocks are a resetting mechanism for the Autonomic nervous system.
Another part of the Autonomic Nervous System is the Stellate Ganglion and research has shown that a single shot of anesthetic can "CURE PTSD" which is amazing! I have found that patients with PTSD respond very well to repetitive self administered SPG Blocks as well.
All of these approaches address headaches, Migraines, Depression, Anxiety and other "Stress" disorders by restting the brain and restoring Homeostasis or Balance. Neuromuscular Dentistry also restores balance thru the somatosensory system with the aid of the Myomonitor and the Diagnostic Neuromuscular Orthotic.
Compare these treatments to the typical drug approach where first one and then another drug is used to control headache pain, each and every drug has multiple side effects and change brain chemistry and neurotransmitters. Drug overuse and withdrawal pains are common. BOTOX uses a neurotoxin to disconnect muscles and brain rather than restoring them to a normal healthy state and healthy Homeostasis.
Are these otheer treatment bad? No, they should just not be the first approach to healing which is to restore normal physiology and chemistry and allow healing by removing the impediments to healing.
Additional resources:
https://www.sphenopalatineganglionblocks.com/new-daily-persistent-headache-aka-chronic-headache-acute-onset-spg-blocks-ideal-first-line-treatment/
https://www.sphenopalatineganglionblocks.com/transformed-migraine-chronic-migraine-study-spg-blocks-vs-elavil/
https://www.sphenopalatineganglionblocks.com/new-studies-point-common-etiologic-cause-migraines-essential-hypertension-spg-blocks-missing-piece/
https://www.sphenopalatineganglionblocks.com/intractable-headaches-migraines-sphenopalatine-ganglion-spg-blocks-may-fastest-safest-treatment/
