Get Vaccinated Against Migraine!
The migraine vaccine, which has been used in the world for the last three years, started to be used in our country as of last year.
The migraine vaccine, which has been used in the world for the last three years, started to be used in our country as of last year. Does this migraine-specific method prevent patients from migraine attacks, and what innovations does it bring compared to current treatments? The answers are in this article…
Migraine pain, one of the most difficult pains to endure, is an important problem that makes patients’ lives difficult and prevents them from doing their daily routines. While migraine attacks can be controlled with the drug treatments used in today’s medicine, there is no way to get rid of migraine completely yet. The migraine vaccine, which has been used around the world for the last few years, is a new treatment approach that may inspire powerful treatments in the near future. Anadolu Health Center Neurology Department Director Prof. Dr. Yaşar Kütükçü is of the opinion that although it is actually known as the “migraine vaccine” in our country, it is not correct to call this new treatment option a vaccine. Because, unlike vaccines, they do not have features that prevent the development of the disease once administered. Prof. Dr. In this article, Kütükçü discussed the most curious issues about migraine vaccine, which is an injection application…
SPECIAL FOR MIGRAINE TREATMENT ONLY
Vaccines with active ingredients Galcanezumab and Erenumab, which have been used as a new and specific method in the treatment of migraine for the last three years, have begun to be used in our country with the approval of the Ministry of Health. The most striking aspect of the vaccines is that they are specific only to migraine. The drugs prescribed for migraine prevention treatment to date are actually drugs used in other diseases (such as antiepileptics, beta blockers, calcium channel antagonists, antidepressants and botulinum toxin applications), which are not specific to migraine; Vaccines have entered the medical literature as the first treatment method specific to migraine.
HOW IS IT APPLIED?
The migraine vaccine, which is very easy to administer and sold in special ready-made syringes, can be administered as a subcutaneous injection once a month. So much so that even the patient can apply it himself. However, we would like to underline that it is beneficial to make the first injections in a hospital and under the supervision of a doctor, especially due to the risk of developing allergic reactions (even if it is very low).
Monoclonal antibodies made during injection can prevent migraine attacks by neutralizing the neuropeptide called CGRP (calcitonin gene-related peptide), which plays an important role in the emergence of migraine pain. To put it in a simpler explanation; The migraine vaccine has a preventive effect on the development of pain by blocking the substances that initiate migraine pain.
IS IT EFFECTIVE IN EVERY PATIENT?
The migraine vaccine generally succeeds in reducing the average monthly number of headache days in nearly 60%-80% of patients. However, we cannot say that there is a treatment method that completely prevents and eliminates migraine. For application, it is recommended to inject under the skin (subcutaneously) once a month for an average of 9-12 months. While clinical studies report that pain begins again shortly after the application, what this actually means is this; Injections may be required once a month for many years.
Migraine vaccine is a method that can be used in all types of migraine. We can say that it has been used successfully in the treatment of patients with both migraine without aura and migraine with aura, chronic migraine, medication overuse headache and cluster headache. Of course, since the cost is high, patient selection is also an important point here. It would be more appropriate to use it especially in patients who have not responded well to previous treatments (such as drug therapy, botulinum toxin treatment) and who have more than 4-5 pain attacks per month.
ARE THERE ANY SIDE EFFECTS?
No serious or dangerous side effects of migraine injection treatment have been reported to date. Possible side effects include redness at the injection site, itching, infection, and usually mild allergic reactions. The safety and tolerability features of the drugs were found to be similar.
