Migraine treatment is often a confusing mess of contraindications and fuzzy pathophysiology, but a case study recently published in the Permanente Journal has delineated clearly a potential cause and corresponding treatment for some migraines. The case study describes a patient, female, age-21, who was having severe, chronic migraines. She was initially treated with traditional pain relief, fluids, and other common migraine therapies, but like many patients suffering from migraines, she showed no improvement. The migraine continued for more than three-months, severally impairing the functioning of the patient.
Given that HPV often infects the trigeminal ganglion, a cluster of neurons involved in producing migraines, and given that HPV had been proposed as a possible causative agent for migraines, the attending physician administered famciclovir and celecoxib, two anti-virals especially effective against HPV. The patient recovered over the course of the next few days. She continued to take the anti-virals for 3 years, and reported great symptom alleviation for several years, before discontinuing the medication, to no observed ill effect.
This one case study is not enough to show that HPV is involved in migraines, or that anti-virals are implicated as a possible therapy for curing chronic migraines. Rather it demonstrates the possibility of HPV involvement in migraine disorders, and will likely spur investigation into this area of migraine pathophysiology. Only time will tell if this will produce useful treatments and therapies, but this case study, at least initially, looks promising.
-Cole Holderman
Source:
1. Article in Permanente Journal: Migraine Headache Treated with Famciclovir and Celecoxib: A Case Report: http://www.thepermanentejournal.org/issues/2018/winter/6612-migraine-headache.html
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