Neck jab reduces migraine symptoms

Injection of a local anesthetic into active trigger points in the lower part of the neck -- the cervical spine -- ameliorates migraine symptoms, Italian investigators report.

The local treatment of trigger points can reduce the use of migraine drugs, and thus help prevent headaches caused by medication overuse.

Drug overuse headaches are a "huge problem" and are becoming more frequent in migraine patients and are "extremely difficult to treat," the study investigator added.

Researchers report in The Journal of Pain that trigger point injection was associated with significant decreases in the number and maximal intensity of migraine attacks, whereas migraine number and maximal intensity did not change significantly in the untreated patients.

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