70 THE QUEENS COURIER • HEALTH • JUNE 7, 2018 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM
health
Hope for ‘suicide headache’ suff erers
While all of us have experienced the
dull pain of a headache and some know
the recurrent pulse and throbbing of
migraine, few people can understand the
severity of pain associated with cluster
headache, also known as “suicide headache.”
What is cluster headache?
Cluster headache is an extremely painful
primary headache disorder characterized
by recurring unilateral attacks, or
attacks that occur on one side of the head.
It is called “cluster” headache because
headaches typically occur in bouts (or
“clusters”) for 6 to 12 weeks, oft en at the
same time each year or day, and are more
frequent at night. It begins as sharp pain
centered at the eye, temple or forehead,
and can be as brief as 15 minutes or as
long as several hours. Attacks can strike
up to 8 times a day.
Th e condition, which aff ects about one
to two people in every 1,000, predominantly
occurs in males, with symptoms
typically manifesting by the age of 30.
Th ose at greater risk of cluster headache
include heavy smokers and individuals
with a family history of the condition.
“Cluster headache is one of the most
painful conditions an individual can
experience, known for being potentially
more excruciating and debilitating
than migraine,” said Stephen Silberstein,
M.D., from the Jeff erson Headache
Center at Th omas Jeff erson University
in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. “Sadly,
patients diagnosed with cluster headache
commit suicide twenty times more than
the national average as the pain can be
described as unbearable.”
Diagnosis and treatment
Unfortunately, diagnosis of cluster
headache may be delayed signifi cantly
due to patients and physicians mistaking
the end of a bout for resolution of a separate,
standalone condition.
Historically, even aft er the proper diagnosis
is made, there have been very few
viable therapies for cluster headache,
making prevention and treatment strategies
a challenge. While the exact cause of
cluster headache is unknown, it is typically
treated with injectable sumatriptan, a
combination of oxygen and various drugs
and/or nerve blocks. Th ese methods are
associated with barriers to use including
a myriad of pharmaceutical side eff ects.
Not surprisingly, 79 percent of patients
have been dissatisfi ed with available treatment
options.1
Today, patients now have a novel treatment
option called gammaCore®(nVNS).
gammaCore, the fi rst non-invasive vagus
nerve stimulation therapy applied at the
neck for the acute treatment of pain associated
with migraine and episodic cluster
headaches in adult patients, off ers a way to
treat symptoms without many of the side
eff ects and dose limitations observed with
commonly prescribed treatments or the
need for invasive and costly procedures.
Patients prescribed gammaCore can have
reliable access to treatment for up to four
cluster attacks per day for 30 days.
“gammaCore has shift ed the paradigm
by allowing patients to self-administer
non-invasive vagus nerve stimulation
therapy for acute treatment of cluster
headache, resulting in the reduction
of pain,” notes Dr. Silberstein. “gamma-
Core’s effi cacy and safety profi les, along
with its self-administered mode of delivery,
have the potential to not only reduce
the side-eff ect burden associated with
other medications but also bring much
needed relief to patients.”
For more information on cluster headache
and treatment with gammaCore
(non-invasive vagus nerve stimulator),
please visit http://gammacore.com/.
Important Safety Information
gammaCore (non-invasive vagus nerve
stimulator) is indicated for the acute
treatment of pain associated with episodic
cluster headache and migraine in adult
patients.
Th e safety and eff ectiveness of the gammaCore
non-invasive vagus nerve stimulator
(nVNS) has not been established
in the acute treatment of chronic cluster
headache.gammaCore has not been
shown to be eff ective for the prophylactic
treatment of migraine headache, chronic
cluster headache, or episodic cluster
headache.Th e long-term eff ects of the
chronic use of gammaCore have not been
evaluated.Safety and effi cacy of gamma-
Core has not been evaluated in the following
patients, and therefore is NOT indicated
for:Patients with an active implantable
medical device, such as a pacemaker,
hearing aid implant, or any implanted
electronic devicePatients diagnosed with
narrowing of the arteries (carotid atherosclerosis)
Patients who have had surgery
to cut the vagus nerve in the neck (cervical
vagotomy)Pediatric patientsPregnant
womenPatients with clinically signifi
cant hypertension, hypotension, bradycardia,
or tachycardiaPatients should
not use gammaCore if they:Have a metallic
device such as a stent, bone plate, or
bone screw implanted at or near their
neckAre using another device at the same
time (e.g., TENS Unit, muscle stimulator)
or any portable electronic device
(e.g., mobile phone)Note: Th is list is not
all inclusive. Please refer to the gammaCore
Instructions for Use for all of
the important warnings and precautions
before using or prescribing this product.
gammaCore is available by prescription
only. U.S. Federal Law restricts this device
to sale by or on the order of a licensed
healthcare provider.
1 *Survey conducted in October 2016
to assess the impressions and perspectives
on current treatments and interest
in new acute treatment options. A total
of 291 subjects participated in the survey,
with 177 of them suff ering from episodic
cluster headaches and 111 suff ering from
chronic cluster headaches, and 3 patients
refrained from answering this question.
Courtesy BPT
/
