Cefaly for migraine

[Zara-LouiseD]

Hi folks

Has anyone on here tried the Cefaly headband for migraine?

It is very expensive at £253.30, so I would like to try and get some feedback form anyone who has actually tried it please!

I have migraine which affects the trigeminal nerve, and this is what it claims to work on?

I am so fed up with migraine, I have had 3 long migraines in the last 2 months and am at my wits end - i don't know if these companies selling expensive devices take advantage of people like us who will do pretty much anything to get rid of chronic pain...........

[Synska]

Before you spend that much money, think about this. There are two types of migraine. one wh en the blood vessels swell, and press on the nerves, result pain. and the other where the muscles go into little spasms, swell, and press on the nerves. Try to find out which you have, a true Migraine, or a Rheumatic Headache...they feel the same. But the treatment is different. Make a test - you will need help.

Lie flat on your back on the floor. Get someone to sit on the floor behind you, and put their fingers under your head, at the base of your skull. They then press quite hard on the muscles at the base of your skull, and pull, as if trying to stretch your neck.

9C

[Zara-LouiseD in reply to Synska]

Thanks, but the last time a massage therapist 'lifted' my head in this way, I ended up having to pay a chiropractor to sort it out!

If I press on the small muscles on the occipital area when I have a migraine, it actually makes the pain go away.....until I let go and it comes back straight away.

I've had many different presentations of migraine for the last 30years - originally with aura, now rarely with aura. Some ice pick, but mainly they involve the trigeminal nerve as I get pain in my face too. I've had them affect sensation on one side of my body. I also have many different triggers, some of which don't always trigger....coffee, hormones, tension where I clench my jaw and cause migraine from the muscle contractions, red cheese, alcohol, perfume, bright light.....etc

I'm now on Gabapentin to try and prevent migraine, but would prefer a drug free therapy. As far as I am aware you can send cefaly back for a refund if it doesn't work?

[Synska in reply to Zara-LouiseD]

I do think you are suffering mainly from Rheumatic Headache. If you ask your Dr. for a good Massage Cream, and use it on the bits of Fibrositis you seem to have, which are pressing on the nerves, I think you will find some improvement. Those tender places on pressure can be improved with massage, dispersing the rheumatic 'crystals' which have settled in the muscles ('Fibrositis Nodules) Have a go twice a day -if it doesn't feel a bit painful, you are not doing it properly!

Massage should also help the trigeminal Neuralga. Use the massage cream on the muscles of the jaw, Use the thumb and move it very slowly all over the area. You will probably find it all very tender!

[Zara-LouiseD in reply to Synska]

Thanks - I will give it a go 😀

[udall]

I have a cefaly device which I used for a few months - it did seem to work for a while but not consistently for me. I have given it up for now - I used it as a preventative for 20 mins a day. When I had a bad month it put me off using it but perhaps that was wrong and I should have persevered. It does take some getting used to but I think it is worth a try as some people find it life changing.

I don't know if I will try it again but if I don't you can have mine to try.

Margaret.

[Zara-LouiseD in reply to udall]

That is very kind of you Margaret, and thank you for your reply 😀

I am having some success with Gabapentin as a preventative, but it makes me moody and quick to anger! Aside from that it seems to have reduced the frequency of my migraine - I have also just got a gum shield to stop me clenching my teeth so much during the night!

I might hold off buying cefaly just now, and if you do want to part with yours, perhaps I could buy it from you at a later date 😀

Thank you

Zara xx

[udall in reply to Zara-LouiseD]

Thanks for your reply Zara. Glad the preventative is helping at the moment and hope the gum shield improves things even more. That is one thing I haven't tried.

Good idea holding off buying the Cefaly until you give the other things a chance to work. If we try too many things at once we can't know which one has had the effect.

We can keep in touch and see how things go with you.

You are welcome to try my Cefaly later on if you think it might help. I'm not bothered about the money - if it helps someone it is better than it sitting in my wardrobe!

Keep me up dated from time to time or get in touch if you want to try the Cefaly.

Best wishes,

Margaret. xx

[Zara-LouiseD in reply to udall]

Thank you Margaret 😊 xx