Neuromodulation for Prevention and Treatment of Headache Disorders

Neuromodulation is a treatment modality that can be used in the abortive and preventive treatment of migraine and other primary headache disorders. The basic concept of neurostimulation is to manipulate peripheral or central pain pathways with either magnetic or electrical impulses. Common neuromodulation techniques include occipital nerve stimulation, which is the oldest technique, and trigeminal nerve stimulation, combined occipital and trigeminal nerve stimulation, sphenopalatine ganglion stimulation, vagus nerve stimulation and transcranial magnetic stimulation, which were introduced soon after. The two newest modalities are remote electrical neuromodulation and caloric vestibular stimulation, the last of which is still in the experimental phases.