Latest Breakthrough data shocks Medical Specialists and Scientists - Migraine does not start in the brain

MIGRAINE RESEARCH INSTITUTE
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PRESS RELEASE

Latest Breakthrough data shocks Medical Specialists and Scientists

The latest edition of the world’s most respected neurological journal “Brain” has published a study that has
thrown the world of migraine specialists and scientists into total disarray. The breakthrough data proves, for the
first time, that migraine attacks do not in fact originate in the brain as previously thought.

The study describes the widely accepted belief that arteries in the brain dilate and cause migraine as both “long
standing and widespread”. The teams of Dutch researchers however, were able, for the first time, to accurately
measure the blood flow and the diameter of the arteries inside the brain during a migraine. The results showed
conclusively that migraine attacks “are not associated” with the dilation of arteries in the brain at all.

The research paper concludes that “Contrary to longstanding and widespread belief, we failed to detect any
evidence for a clinically relevant vasodilatation of major cerebral or meningeal blood vessels during migraine
attacks” The paper continues “This finding has important implications for the understanding of the
pathophysiology of migraine headaches and the development of future anti-migraine agents.”

The study utilized a breakthrough form of experimentation. Until the application of the 3T Magnetic Resonance
Angiography (MRA), there was no non-invasive imaging technique that could observe the blood flow and
diameters of blood vessels inside the brain. The new technology can now visualize even the smallest blood
vessels.

“We are delighted at this development” states Dr Elliot Shevel, South Africa’s migraine surgery pioneer. “I
have been asserting that migraines do not originate in the brain for almost two decades. It was this belief that
lead to my breakthrough surgery being published in the UK in July last year.”

Shevel, the Chairman of the International Headache Society’s South African division continues “The medical
and scientific community has clung blindly to this erroneous belief without any proof, for almost half a century.
So this is a stunning revelation. Millions of sufferers could now benefit if outdated science is discarded quickly
and efficiently.”

Create PDF with GO2PDF for free, if you wish to remove this line, click here to buy Virtual PDF Printer“To understand the scale of this development though” continues Shevel “one must appreciate that teaching medical students that migraine originates in the arteries of the brain has recently, just in the last few months, been adopted by the entire American medical community as the sole explanation for the origin of migraine. So this new paper is going to have some very serious repercussions around the world”

“Stalwarts of the old theory who do not keep up to date with their duty to remain medically informed may
continue, quite unethically, to propound what is now completely disproved. So I suppose we should expect a bit
of a ‘flat earth society’ to develop for a while.”

For the past few decades migraine drugs have been specifically designed to act on these very arteries that have
now been shown to have no association with migraine attacks at all. “This is the reason that migraine drugs
work so poorly” explains Shevel “and also the reason that just this week we are treating patients flying out from
Canada, Ireland, and Mauritius and have queries from Greece and Saudi Arabia. These people are aware that
there are permanent drug free solutions to their migraines that are available only here at The Headache Clinic in
South Africa.”

WOW! Does it actually say where they do originate or did my brain fog miss that bit?
In a way it explains a lot though..and why we are struggling with meds.
Blimey watch this space eh?
Jane
x

Sadly no it does not say where they start - I read it twice to make sure I had not missed it lol - but its an interesting article....... and one I will keep an eye on.

Yeah, this definately makes sense with regard to medication not working!

I have sent them an email asking for an update - will post once I get a reply.

Wow, what an amazing read. I'm assuming they don't know where it begins at the moment though...

I have asked that question in my email - I am hoping they will respond soon I want answers NOW lol

Me too! *drums fingers*

Tee wrote:I have sent them an email asking for an update - will post once I get a reply.

I SO love that about you..go girl..I liked how you casually stated I have emailed them etc..lol...you make everything seem possible.

Nice one

These articles are great, by the way - thanks so much for sourcing and posting them, Tee.

Thanks ladies

Just to let you know I have had a really nice email from Dr Shevel with some attachments that go into more detail - I have to work out how to post them - bear with me......

Great stuff - thanks!

Is it just me that has a silly need for them to say that migraine starts in the big toe or something? My husband's comment was 'preferably it's somewhere you can get removed'!

Sarah wrote:Great stuff - thanks!

Is it just me that has a silly need for them to say that migraine starts in the big toe or something? My husband's comment was 'preferably it's somewhere you can get removed'!

No it's not just you I can relate to having something amputated if it stopped the darn pain ROFLMAO

The belief is that for some, the migraine pain is caused by arteries on the 'outside' of the brain and not the inside ones.

Dr Shevel has sent some compelling evidence to back this up and I have attached the papers he has sent, so you can make your own minds up.

I have also copied the email he sent me (below) and can confirm I have taken up his offer for more information. I have asked for information on how you can self diagnosis's and find the muscle trigger points, as I thought this would be a good starting point for us all. However, if there is any specific information you would like me to ask for please just let me know.

His website can be found at http://www.headachelabs.co.uk/dr-elliot-shevel.html
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Email from Dr Shevel

Dear Tracey

There have indeed been further publications on the subject.

I recently had an article published in 'Headache', the official journal of the American Headache Society, on the role of the extracranial arteries in migraine pain (copy attached), which sums up the overwhelming evidence in the literature that shows that the arteries on the outside of the skull are the source of pain in many migraine sufferers. The fact that the pain comes from the vessels outside the skull means that they are accessible to very safe minimally invasive surgery. I have also attached an article on the surgery.

There has also been a recent publication by Asghar et al, that again confirmed that Imigran works by contracting the extracranial and not the intracranial arteries.

An important confusing factor in migraine though, is that although the pain comes from the arteries, those are not the only structures that are painful. In migraine the jaw and/or neck muscles are also painful. This is a well-established fact, and if you are interested I will to send you some of the published literature.

To make matters worse, in many patients with arterial and/or muscle pain, the nerves to the skin of the scalp also become painful. Once this happens, anti-migraine drugs and pain killers are less likely to have any beneficial effect.

The implication of pain originating from more than one anatomical structure is that medication designed to act on one doesn't have any effect on the other. An example is Imigran, which works by constricting the arteries, but it only work sometimes. If all migraine pain came from the arteries, then one would naturally expect Imigran to work every time.

If you would like more information for your website, such as how one can self-diagnose if the pain is arterial, how to find the muscle trigger points, how to tell if nerve pain has developed, the difference between migraine triggers and the underlying reason for the pain, etc., or any other information that can help your community members better understand their problem, I would be delighted to help.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

That makes a lot of sense, for my own experiences particularly.

Thanks for posting (shame it wasn't the big toe though! )

Looks like we may be having a group holiday to South Africa

Takes a lot of reading but worth it
Cheers
Sheena x

Just found these interviews.

https://youtu.be/gVTWQgqGAfc

https://youtu.be/HxNFFUOevMg

Was really interested until he said no food triggers. If I make Paul a sandwich that has been within a smear of non veggie cheese hes in bed for 2 days with normal migraine so is my stepson yet they can eat every veggie cheese going as its the animal rennit that cause their migraines.......Proven.....over and over again. Is it true.....has it worked? I know if I press my left temple hard it gives relief for a while but thats like touching a bruise....Im a sceptic ........give me the op and I will tell you if it works lol x x x

I am sure it is not going to work for everyone, and I have asked for more info - including the self diagnosis - will post once I have it.

Tee wrote:I am sure it is not going to work for everyone, and I have asked for more info - including the self diagnosis - will post once I have it.

Yes I like the fact he states that this won't be the cause in all cases but will certainly have contributory factors. The more I hear the more I want a PCT funded trip to S Africa

It's good (if hard ) to hear someone categorically stating how debilitating CM is..I actually welled up at that point of the interview.
J
xxx

When you get the next migraine pain - please have a go at this - it would be interesting to see if it helps anyone?

Tee

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Email from Dr Shevel

Dear Tracey,

To diagnose whether the arteries are involved in the pain is not at all difficult.

One way to find out is if certain drugs help.

If any of the triptans help the pain, even sometimes, as they act by constricting the arteries, then there is definitely arterial pain. There are a number of triptans, and I am not certain which ones are available in the UK, but you probably have Imigran, Maxalt, Zomig, Naramig, Eletriptan and Frova – they may go under different names in the UK from S Africa.

The other drug that constricts arteries is ergotamine, so any medication containing ergotamine or dihydroergotamine will also give the diagnosis if it helps the pain – in SA we have Migril and Migrex.

The second method is to compress certain arteries with the finger while the pain is present – if the pain improves, and comes back after the pressure is removed, then it is also absolute proof that there is arterial pain.

I have attached some illustrations of how to compress the arteries that are usually involved, together with some instructions. Please let me know if there is anything that I have not explained clearly.

The only problem with the finger pressure method, is that it sometimes gives a false negative. This happens when there is also nerve pain or a lot of muscle pain, which can both mask the results of finger pressure. This is more common when the pain is at its worst, so sometimes it is better to do the finger pressure test before the pain has peaked. It is common to have pain from all three, arteries, muscles, and nerves.

If there is no arterial pain, then the headache definitely originates in the muscles.

In the next few weeks I will put something together to illustrate the muscle and nerve pain, but I first have to find some decent illustrations.

Oh OH oH I am SO excited...I need to see the illustrations..I really like how this Dr explains things and he is being so helpful too bless his little cotton socks.

Is he a neurologist, neuro surgeon etc?? I haven't quite grasped which is his specialism yet.

Sorry if I am being a thicko.

Jane
xx

I have attached the illustrations - if you cannot see the pics on the document - just click above the text and they appear

I will also get a copy of his profile for you. He is a surgeon.

Also, for those who do not know there are 7 types of Triptan available in the UK , they are;

Almotriptan (Almogran)
Eletriptan (Relpax)
Frovatriptan (Migard)
Naratritan (Naramig)
Rizatriptan (Maxalt)
Sumatriptan (Imigran)
Zolmitriptan (Zomig)


Tee

In collaboration with migraine researchers from the European and American Headache Societies and Harvard Medical School’s Department of Neurology, Dr Shevel has numerous scientific studies and publications in national and international peer reviewed medical journals.

In addition tohaving been appointed a peer reviewer for "The European Journal of Neurology", the "Medical Science Monitor", the "International Journal of Clinical Practice", and "Headache", the official journal of the American Headache Society, Dr Shevel is the founder and chairman of the South African branch of the International Headache Society.

In his capacity as Medical Director of The Headache Clinic, a position he has held since the clinic’s inception in 1992, Dr Shevel heads a team of specialists, practitioners and researchers whose primary aim is the better understanding of migraine headache. This team includes surgeons, physiotherapists, neurologists, general practitioners (GPs), radiologists, dental specialists and psychologists, amongst others.

Funded by the Italian and South African governments, Dr Shevel’s research programmes into migraine symptoms are receiving increased international attention. This facilitates and drives new breakthroughs in the treatment of migraines.

In his radio and television interviews, Dr Shevel reinforces the importance of safe and effective procedures. These procedures, which can relieve the extreme symptoms associated with chronic migraines and avoid possible pain-killer addiction, will change many people’s lives significantly.

DR ELLIOT SHEVEL – CURRICULUM VITAE

Matriculated
Krugersdorp High School - 1959

Tertiary Education
B.D.S. (Witwatersrand) - 1967
Dip. M.F.O.S. (Witwatersrand) - 1973
M.B., B.Ch. (Witwatersrand) - 1977


Elected Fellow, International College of Craniomandibular Orthopaedics 1999
Chairman, South African Chapter of the International Headache Society 2003 - current
National Councilor, South African Dental Association 2005 - current
University of Witwatersrand SRC 1961 - 3

Private practice as a Maxillo-facial and Oral Surgeon, with a special interest in pain in the craniomandibular and craniocervical regions, and in particular, migraine, tension headache, and other primary headaches of muscular, vascular, and neural origin since 1973.

Member

International Conference of Craniomandibular Orthopaedics
International Headache Society
American Headache Society
European Headache Federation


Peer Reviewer

Journal of Neurology
Medical Science Monitor
Headache (Official Journal of the American Headache Society)
International Journal of Clinical Practice

Founder and Director - The Headache Clinic, South Africa with branches in Johannesburg, Durban, and Cape Town. The Headache Clinic is a multidisciplinary practice dedicated to the diagnosis and treatment of Primary Headaches (1992-Current).

Presented papers at International Conferences with particular reference to primary headache and pain and dysfunction of the muscles and arteries of the craniomandibular and craniocervical region.

Argentina
Buenos Aires 1992
XI International Conference on Maxillofacial and Oral Surgery

Austria
Vienna 2004
VI International Congress on Headache in Children and Adolescents

Czech Republic
Prague 2009
3rd World Congress on Controversies in Neurology

France
Toulouse 1994
Video-Forum Europeen de Chirurgie Maxillo-Faciale

Hungary
Budapest 1996
XII International Conference on Maxillofacial and Oral Surgery

Israel
Jerusalem 1989
X International Conference on Oral and Maxillo-facial Surgery

Italy
Rome 2003
X Congress of the International Headache Society

Netherlands
Rotterdam 2004
7th Headache Congress of the European Headache Federation

Spain
Valenca 2006
8th Headache Congress of the European Headache Federation

Taiwan
Taipei 1993
Second Asian Congress on Oral and Maxillo-facial Surgery

Zimbabwe
Victoria Falls 1992
Invited speaker at the Zimbabwe Dental Association Annual Congress

Dr Shevel is fluent in English and Afrikaans, and has a working knowledge of Setswana, Sesotho, Zulu, French, Portuguese, Spanish, Italian, German, Dutch, Greek, and Turkish.