Migraine sufferers might soon be able to block an imminent attack using a device that targets the brain with a powerful magnetic field.
The technique, called transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), triggers activity in the brain’s nerve cells and is already being tested as a way to treat depression. Two small clinical trials have now shown that delivering TMS to the brain in the early stages of a migraine seems to halt it in its tracks.
Since I’ve dealt with migraines for a long time, this sounds great (though I’ll note that the research hasn’t yet been published in a peer-reviewed journal, and the number of patients reporting an improvement from placebo alone was quite high, so I’ll remain skeptical until more evidence rolls in). But I can already see it being touted by the magnet-bracelet-cure-all people as proof that their product works.