Migraine and headache management: Sufferers still need new treatment options

One of the most prevalent and disabling conditions worldwide, the impact of headaches and migraine is undeniable. More than 36 million Americans routinely put their lives on hold and miss precious moments with their loved ones because of migraine pain, according to the American Migraine Foundation (AMF). Not only does it disrupt your personal life, but severe headaches and migraines can be debilitating in your professional life, too.

Direct medical costs and indirect costs of migraine, including millions of missed work days and lost productivity, can run up to approximately $29 billion a year in the U.S., according to the AMF. That’s more than $79 million daily.

These astonishing figures shed light on how impairing headache and migraine pain can be to millions of patients’ day-to-day functioning. Migraine sufferers are still in need of new treatment options that are both safe and effective in achieving pain relief and can help significantly lessen the burden of the disabling condition in their daily lives, according to the foundation’s 36 Million Migraine Campaign. Whether patients are unable to find relief quickly enough and/or are limited to specific treatments due to side effects or adverse interactions with other medications, leaders in the field of headache are in consensus that additional options are needed.

“Many headache and migraine sufferers can relate to spending time in a dark, quiet room waiting to find pain relief, being forced to take time away from work or loved ones,” says neurologist and lifelong migraine sufferer Dr. Anjan Chatterjee. “For many patients, the search for a treatment or combination of treatments that gives them quick relief without side effects or drug-drug interactions can be tremendously frustrating.”

Dr. Chatterjee developed Ausanil, a new non-prescription homeopathic nasal spray, to provide severe headache and migraine patients with a safe and accessible treatment option. The spray offers rapid pain relief with no reported adverse drug interactions or systemic side effects – which can be a problem even with commonly used over-the-counter (OTC) pain relievers.

People assume that OTC pain relievers are safe to use several times a week. However, the American Headache Society recommends patients limit the use of OTC pain relievers associated with notable side effects to no more than two days per week. Frequent use of these medications also leads to an increase in headaches, commonly referred to as medication overuse headache.

“As a neurologist, I have spent countless hours working with headache and migraine patients to address their challenges in finding quick pain relief,” says Dr. Chatterjee. “As a migraine sufferer, I also understand the challenge involved in finding effective treatment from my own experience.” 

Today, Dr. Chatterjee is able to successfully treat his own migraine pain with Ausanil and typically achieves pain relief in a matter of a few minutes. Offering this new treatment option to fellow migraine and severe headache sufferers, he hopes they are also able to experience rapid pain relief to help get back to what matters to them.

Dr. Chatterjee advises patients to work to identify triggers, which may help avoid or reduce the severity of the headache or migraine pain. Common triggers of severe headache and migraine include certain foods, bright lights, loud sounds, changes in weather, and even some medications.

“When you are able to recognize that a severe headache or migraine may be coming on, you may be better able to manage your pain. This is the time to treat your headache pain to find relief quickly,” says Dr. Chatterjee. 

Learn more at Ausanil.com.