Deep brain stimulation for treatment of chronic cluster headaches.
This study aims to introduce a new method for treating chronic cluster headaches that are resistant to other pain medication. The method in the study is to stimulate inside the brain in a particular region to treat cluster headaches. 8 patients suffering from chronic cluster headaches were implanted with a stimulator in the brain and were stopped from taking steroid medication. Since the start of the study when the devices were implanted, to about 26 months after; all 8 patients reported a decrease in pain. Less than half did not take any pain medication but were pain-free while more than half of the patients needed to take low doses of pain medication. There were no side effects to the treatment reported, therefore, using the procedure to stimulate in the brain is safe and effective for patients that are resistant to other medications.
View the original cluster headache study at this link: Hypothalamic Deep Brain Stimulation for the Treatment of Chronic Cluster Headaches: A Series Report