Laurie Sandler used to wake up four to six times a month with a stabbing pain in her head. If the discomfort lasted throughout the day while she was at work or out, she said, she would have to return to her home in Lynbrook to sleep.
The pain was so bad, Sandler said, that she would take more of her prescription headache medicine than was prescribed. That only made the situation worse, as Sandler then suffered from medication overuse headaches, which are chronic daily headaches. According to the website for the American Migraine Foundation, the most effective method to treat MOH is the discontinuation of the medication that is overused.
So, eight months ago, Sandler’s neurologist, Dr. Adelene Jann, prescribed her a Cefaly Prevent Device to treat her migraines. The device is placed on the forehead with a magnetic connection to a self-adhesive electrode, which then sends micro-impulses through the skin to the trigeminal nerve to prevent a future migraine attack. The trigeminal nerve functions abnormally during a migraine and between attacks.
Now, Sandler, 59, is using the device every night for 20 minutes. She said that since she began using it, she only gets migraines about twice a month.
“A lot of times, I’ll have a mild headache and I’ll just take Advil,” Sandler said, adding that Cefaly is a natural alternative to the drugs. “Anything natural rather than taking medication is a bonus.”