Electronic Aspirin
:
For
people who suffer from migraines, cluster headaches, and other causes of
chronic, excruciating head or facial pain, the "take two aspirins and call
me in the morning" method is useless. Doctors have long associated the
most severe, chronic forms of headache with the sphenopalatine ganglion (SPG),
a facial nerve bundle, but haven't yet found a treatment that works on the SPG
long-term. A technology under clinical investigation at Autonomic Technologies, Inc., (Redwood City, CA)
is a patient-powered tool for blocking SPG signals at the first sign of a
headache. The system involves the permanent implant of a small nerve
stimulating device in the upper gum on the side of the head normally affected
by headache. The lead tip of the implant connects with the SPG bundle, and when
a patient senses the onset of a headache, he or she places a handheld remote
controller on the cheek nearest the implant. The resulting signals stimulate
the SPG nerves and block the pain-causing neurotransmitters.
Article By:
H M Manjula
Assistant Professor
CSE Dept, Brindavan
College of Engineering
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