Structure and dynamics of key receptor in migraine pain determined, paving way for better treatment

[PeteS in CA]

Structure and dynamics of key receptor in migraine pain determined, paving way for better treatment options

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2021-03-dynamics-key-receptor-migraine-pain.html

A research team with members from Monash University, the ARC Centre for Cryo-electron Microscopy of Membrane Proteins, the University of Tokyo and the University of Otago have determined the shape and kinetics of an important cell surface (membrane) receptor called calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), which has long been implicated in migraine. The work has been published in the journal Science.

Migraine is more than a simple headache; more than 3 million migraineurs—more than 60% of whom are women—have at least one attack per year. A smaller subset experience chronic migraine, defined by migraine pain that occurs 15 days or more per month, for three or months in a row. While sufferers experience many different symptoms of varying intensity—usually nausea, dizziness, sensitivity to light and sound, and intense pain on one or both sides of the head—the physiological process of migraine onset and pain is different from other types of headache, such as muscle tension or sinus pain. While migraine was long believed to be a neurovascular disorder that involved dilation of vessels in the skull, face and cerebral membrane, research has excluded vasodilation as a factor in this type of pain. More recent work has identified increased CGRP in the trigeminal sensory nervous pain pathway that results in headache.

"We determined the atomic structure of an important cell surface (membrane) receptor that is implicated in migraine," says Dr. Radostin Danev of the Graduate School of Medicine, University of Tokyo. "In this initial study, we determined the structure of the receptor alone and in combination with its natural target molecule (CGRP). This gives us a clear understanding of how the receptor works during its normal function in the body."

This is well over my head, but I think the basic meaning is that the nerve pathway for migraine headaches has been identified and its normal function is being studied so as to understand how to recognize and treat abnormal function.

[thackney]

Structure and dynamics of key receptor in migraine pain determined, paving way for better treatment options

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2021-03-dynamics-key-receptor-migraine-pain.html

This is well over my head, but I think the basic meaning is that the nerve pathway for migraine headaches has been identified and its normal function is being studied so as to understand how to recognize and treat abnormal function.

I believe there are many different causes of migraine, or at least triggers.

I used to suffer fairly badly at times from them.  After spinal x-rays after a back injury, a previous injury from decades before had created problems in my neck.  I remembered the event but never associated problems with it.  I had bone growth coming of the back of a few upper vertebra from the injury.

Basic chiropractic adjustments and learning to recognize the signs of a possible migraine coming, along with some simple neck stretches, has completely eliminated them for me.

[BassWrangler]

I believe there are many different causes of migraine, or at least triggers.

I used to suffer fairly badly at times from them.  After spinal x-rays after a back injury, a previous injury from decades before had created problems in my neck.  I remembered the event but never associated problems with it.  I had bone growth coming of the back of a few upper vertebra from the injury.

Basic chiropractic adjustments and learning to recognize the signs of a possible migraine coming, along with some simple neck stretches, has completely eliminated them for me.

Those sound more like tension headaches, which can be as severe, but are not the same. Quite often they are caused by muscles in your neck that surround a nerve cluster that wraps up around your head and down to your eyes. The muscles tense up and won't release, putting pressure on the nerve.

I suffered these for years. A bad one was debilitating. I went to see another doctor in my doc's practice (he was off that day) to get an Rx for some migraine medicine. She mentioned in passing that they might be tension headaches and that those are often caused by neck issues.

Now I knew already that I had neck issues due to some past trauma. So I went and saw a physical therapist. Since then, I learned the stretches like you mentioned, plus exercises to strengthen the muscles, and how to do trigger point massage to get the muscles to release. With those three techniques, I have reduced the frequency of the headaches by 90%, and when I do feel one ramping up, I can usually nip it in the bud. The exercises have really helped because even if I sleep in a bad position, I usually don't get the bad headache - before, it was almost certain I would.

But I have to do the neck exercises and stretches every day. Not just for this issue, but to correct postural problems as well.

[thackney]

Those sound more like tension headaches, which can be as severe, but are not the same. Quite often they are caused by muscles in your neck that surround a nerve cluster that wraps up around your head and down to your eyes. The muscles tense up and won't release, putting pressure on the nerve.

I suffered these for years. A bad one was debilitating. I went to see another doctor in my doc's practice (he was off that day) to get an Rx for some migraine medicine. She mentioned in passing that they might be tension headaches and that those are often caused by neck issues.

Now I knew already that I had neck issues due to some past trauma. So I went and saw a physical therapist. Since then, I learned the stretches like you mentioned, plus exercises to strengthen the muscles, and how to do trigger point massage to get the muscles to release. With those three techniques, I have reduced the frequency of the headaches by 90%, and when I do feel one ramping up, I can usually nip it in the bud. The exercises have really helped because even if I sleep in a bad position, I usually don't get the bad headache - before, it was almost certain I would.

But I have to do the neck exercises and stretches every day. Not just for this issue, but to correct postural problems as well.

The doc called them migraines.  I would vomit, and from the other end, hide in the closet trying to avoid any light, sound, etc.  Completely incapable of doing anything or any interaction for hours.

[BassWrangler]

The doc called them migraines.  I would vomit, and from the other end, hide in the closet trying to avoid any light, sound, etc.  Completely incapable of doing anything or any interaction for hours.

Really bad ones, same for me. In any be event, I'm glad you were able to get rid of them.