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Current Pain and Headache Reports
Published in: Current Pain and Headache Reports 11/2016

01-11-2016 | Neuromodulation (M Gofeld, Section Editor)

Invasive and Non-invasive Electrical Pericranial Nerve Stimulation for the Treatment of Chronic Primary Headaches

Authors: Kevin D’Ostilio, Delphine Magis

Published in: Current Pain and Headache Reports | Issue 11/2016

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Abstract

Chronic primary headaches are widespread disorders which cause significant quality of life and socioprofessional impairment. Available pharmacological treatments have often a limited efficacy and/or can generate unbearable side effects. Electrical nerve stimulation is a well-known non-destructive method of pain modulation which has been recently applied to headache management. In this review, we summarise recent advances in invasive and non-invasive neurostimulation techniques targeting pericranial structures for the treatment of chronic primary headaches, chiefly migraine and cluster headache: occipital nerve, supraorbital nerve, vagus nerve, and sphenopalatine ganglion stimulations. Invasive neurostimulation therapies have offered a new hope to drug-refractory headache sufferers but are not riskless and should be proposed only to chronic patients who failed to respond to most existing preventives. Non-invasive neurostimulation devices are user-friendly, safe and well tolerated and are thus taking an increasing place in the multidisciplinary therapeutical armamentarium of primary headaches.
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Metadata
Title
Invasive and Non-invasive Electrical Pericranial Nerve Stimulation for the Treatment of Chronic Primary Headaches
Authors
Kevin D’Ostilio
Delphine Magis
Publication date
01-11-2016
Publisher
Springer US
Published in
Current Pain and Headache Reports / Issue 11/2016
Print ISSN: 1531-3433
Electronic ISSN: 1534-3081
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s11916-016-0589-1