If you’re seeking relief from your migraines — without the risk of side effects caused by medications — then it’s time to talk with the team at MindSet about transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS).

TMS can significantly reduce the number of future migraines and diminish the pain you experience when you have a migraine attack. Read on to learn about migraines and how TMS can help.

Migraine basics

Migraines begin when one of the cranial nerves overreact to a trigger. Many different things can trigger the problem, but some of the most common are caffeine, stress, lack of sleep, and weather changes.

The nerve signals that subsequently flood your brain cause a wave of abnormal electrical activity. This is when your migraine pain begins.

At the same time, your brain releases neurotransmitters and peptides that dilate blood vessels and cause nerve inflammation. These changes only increase the severity of your migraine.

Migraine symptoms

Migraines can go through four stages, most people don’t experience all of them:

Stage 1: Prodrome

This stage is not experienced by everyone who has migraines. If you have prodrome, you start having vague symptoms, like mood changes, in the days before your migraine.

State 2: Aura

Only 25%-30% of all patients experience aura, which occurs shortly before your migraine pain appears. Vision changes, such as seeing flashes of light, are the most common type of aura. You may also hear noises, experience unusual sensations like tingling, or have uncontrollable movements.

Stage 3: Attack

Everyone goes through this stage because this is when your migraine starts. During a migraine attack, you experience symptoms, such as:

• Intense and throbbing pain around one or both temples
• Nausea and vomiting
• Vertigo (feeling like the room is spinning)
• Sensitivity to lights, smells, and/or sounds

Without treatment to shorten the duration of your pain, migraines last at least four hours and may continue up to 72 hours.

Stage 4: Post-drome

Some people go through a fourth stage after their migraine pain ends. In this stage, you continue to have mild symptoms, such as dizziness, confusion, and fatigue.

How TMS targets migraines

During a migraine, your brain is hyperexcitable, which causes abnormal brainwave activity. Since TMS targets one problem — abnormal brainwaves — it can effectively treat migraines.

TMS uses magnetic pulses to stimulate or balance electrical activity in your brain. The magnetic pulses are generated in a device that’s placed over your head, targeting the area of your unusual brainwaves.

The magnetic pulses safely and painlessly travel through your skull and into a specific area of your brain. The pulses stimulate normal brainwaves, helping your brain to regain balance.

Though each person responds differently, most patients achieve long-lasting results after completing a series of TMS treatments.

TMS effectively prevents migraines

The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved single-pulse TMS as a treatment for migraines. The FDA doesn’t approve any medical treatment without proof that it’s safe and effective.

Studies show that TMS reduces the number of headache days by up to 50%, establishing TMS as a preventive therapy for migraines. TMS also reduces the severity of migraines when they occur and helps most patients cut down on medications.

You don’t need to keep suffering from migraines with options like TMS. To learn if it’s a good option for you, call MindSet or schedule an appointment online today.