A new non-medicinal treatment gives hope for curing chronic migraines, Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital announced after clinical trials on 15 patients showed positive results.
In one case, a woman who had had migraines for 20 years was cured in about a month using intravascular laser irradiation of blood (ILIB) therapy, the hospital said.
The method has long been used to treat a variety of conditions, including chronic pain, autonomic nerve disorders, cognitive dysfunctions and even strokes, but new research by the hospital suggests it could also treat chronic migraines, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation director Chang Shin-tsu (張幸初) told a news conference on Nov. 17.
Photo: CNA
The woman, surnamed Lee (李), said that when she visited the clinic in October, she had been experiencing debilitating migraines at least once a month for 20 years.
At its worst, the pain would extend down from the left side of her head to her ear, making her dizzy and nauseous, Lee said.
She would lose sleep due to the sudden pain, which often came in the middle of the night or during meal times, she added.
However, doctors have been unable to find the cause, suggesting only pain medication for treatment, Lee said.
“I just thought this was my life, devoid of happiness,” she said.
After undergoing ILIB, Lee reported a marked improvement that has brightened her outlook on life.
Chang said he initially thought Lee would need three rounds of ILIB, based on previous trials, but she already showed positive results after two.
ILIB is an intravenous treatment in which a patient’s blood is “sunbathed” in low levels of laser radiation to stimulate interactions between molecules, Chang said.
Doing so can regulate mitochondria numbers and metabolic activity, improve stress and pain responses, and improve oxygen-carrying capacity, he added.
In the case of migraines, the therapy appears to help by restoring circulation in the frontal lobe, he said.
One round involves 10 one-hour treatments over 10 days, Chang said, adding that a patient can undergo the next round after resting for one to three weeks.
Considering its promising effects, the hospital said it would add more ILIB rooms to serve people across the Kaohsiung area.
However, Chang said that medication is still the best way to treat mild headaches, while those who have recently had a stroke or have epilepsy should not undergo ILIB therapy.
Additional reporting by Hsu Li-chuan
Taipei and New Taipei City government officials are aiming to have the first phase of the Wanhua-Jungho-Shulin Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) line completed and opened by 2027, following the arrival of the first train set yesterday. The 22km-long Light Green Line would connect four densely populated districts in Taipei and New Taipei City: Wanhua (萬華), Jhonghe (中和), Tucheng (土城) and Shulin (樹林). The first phase of the project would connect Wanhua and Jhonghe districts, with Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall and Chukuang (莒光) being the terminal stations. The two municipalities jointly hosted a ceremony for the first train to be used
MILITARY AID: Taiwan has received a first batch of US long-range tactical missiles ahead of schedule, with a second shipment expected to be delivered by 2026 The US’ early delivery of long-range tactical ballistic missiles to Taiwan last month carries political and strategic significance, a military source said yesterday. According to the Ministry of National Defense’s budget report, the batch of military hardware from the US, including 11 sets of M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) and 64 MGM-140 Army Tactical Missile Systems, had been scheduled to be delivered to Taiwan between the end of this year and the beginning of next year. However, the first batch arrived last month, earlier than scheduled, with the second batch —18 sets of HIMARS, 20 MGM-140 missiles and 864 M30
Representative to the US Alexander Yui delivered a letter from the government to US president-elect Donald Trump during a meeting with a former Trump administration official, CNN reported yesterday. Yui on Thursday met with former US national security adviser Robert O’Brien over a private lunch in Salt Lake City, Utah, with US Representative Chris Stewart, the Web site of the US cable news channel reported, citing three sources familiar with the matter. “During that lunch the letter was passed along, and then shared with Trump, two of the sources said,” CNN said. O’Brien declined to comment on the lunch, as did the Taipei
A woman who allegedly attacked a high-school student with a utility knife, injuring his face, on a Taipei metro train late on Friday has been transferred to prosecutors, police said yesterday. The incident occurred near MRT Xinpu Station at about 10:17pm on a Bannan Line train headed toward Dingpu, New Taipei City police said. Before police arrived at the station to arrest the suspect, a woman surnamed Wang (王) who is in her early 40s, she had already been subdued by four male passengers, one of whom was an off-duty Taipei police officer, police said. The student, 17, who sustained a cut about
RSS