title: Initial exploration of pulsing electromagnetic fields for treatment of migraine.
abstract: Two studies were conducted during which 23 patients with chronic migraine were exposed to pulsing electromagnetic fields over the inner thigh. In an open study, 11 subjects kept a 2-week headache log before and after 2 to 3 weeks of exposure to pulsing electromagnetic fields for 1 hour per day, 5 days per week. The number of headaches per week decreased from 4.03 during the baseline period to 0.43 during the initial 2-week follow-up period and to 0.14 during the extended follow-up which averaged 8.1 months. In a double-blind study, 9 subjects kept a 3-week log of headache activity and were randomly assigned to receive 2 weeks of real or placebo pulsing electromagnetic field exposures as described above. They were subsequently switched to 2 weeks of the other mode, after which they kept a final 3-week log. Three additional subjects in the blind study inadvertently received half-power pulsing electromagnetic field exposures. The 6 subjects exposed to the actual device first showed a change in headache activity from 3.32 per week to 0.58 per week. The 3 subjects exposed to only half the dose showed no change in headache activity. Large controlled studies should be performed to determine whether this intervention is actually effective.
authors.affiliation: Service of Orthopedic Surgery, Madigan Army Medical Center, Tacoma, Wash. 98431, USA.
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Sherman
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Robson
authors.forename: L A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Marden
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002908:Chronic Disease; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004574:Electromagnetic Fields; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008881:Migraine Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D013848:Thigh / Q000098:blood supply