Prevention of migraine during prodromal phase caused by weather changes

Abstract

Although migraine has been reported to have different inducing factors, changes in weather parameters such as atmospheric pressure, rain, humidity, temperature, wind, and lightning are well known important environmental factors. In recent years, reports of abnormal weather conditions such as heat waves in summer, heavy snow in winter, localized heavy rain, and abnormally light rain, as well as tropical cyclones are increasing. In today’s extreme weather conditions, the worsening, diver­sification, and chronicity of migraine symptoms is concerning, and a higher level of treatment for migraine is required than ever before. Drug therapy is used as the principal treatment for migraine. If the acute treatment alone interferes with daily life, the principle is to combine daily preventive therapies to reduce the frequency, severity, and duration of the migraine attacks. However, there are several cases wherein migraine is poorly controlled only with their combination. Several patients with migraine experience prodromal symptoms, including stiff neck and shoulder as well as sensitivity to light and sound, before migraine attacks. In recent years, it has been reported that sensors for detecting atmospheric pressure exist in the vestibular part of the inner ear, and it has been shown that changes in atmospheric pressure may activate the vestibular nerve activity. We reported that difenidol, a vestibular nerve modulator, was administered to prevent or alleviate migraine attacks during the prodromal phase caused by change in weather. Prevention during the prodromal phase and prevention based on weather prediction are new treatment strategies for migraine. In today’s extreme weather conditions, 3–P therapy that combines the three treatment strategies of prevention, prodrome, and prediction is useful.