How Does It Work?
The Migraine Stopper™️ uses precise positive and negative air pressure to stimulate two nerves in the ear for the goal of migraine relief
What is a migraine?
A neurological disorder characterised by
over-excitation of the brain stem.
Migraines are considered to be a neurological disorder originating in the brain stem. The brain and the brain stem have nerves that directly arise from them, called cranial nerves. We have 12 pairs of cranial nerves with 10 of those pairs arising directly from the brain stem. At the junction where cranial nerves connect to the brain stem, there is a collection of neurons called nuclei. Brain stem nuclei directly synapse and connect with one or more cranial nerves to relay their information. There are many nuclei in the brain stem, with the largest nuclei called the trigeminal nucleus. Scientists believe that overexcitation and malfunction of the trigeminal nucleus is the major factor responsible for the origins of migraine. Overexcitation of the trigeminal nucleus can be likened to an electrical storm occurring in the brain stem, and this storm is the starting point of a migraine. The Migraine Stopper™️ using a technique call neuromodulation to calm down the electrical storm at the trigeminal nucleus to relieve migraine symptoms.
How does the Migraine Stopper™️ give relief?
It is designed for the purpose of stimulating the trigeminal nerve and vagus nerve to calm down the over-excited brain stem
Neuromodulation
The Migraine Stopper™️ uses neuromodulation with the aim of relieving the symptoms of migraine. Neuromodulation is the activation of a specific nerve to help alleviate a symptom in a patient. The Migraine Stopper™️ supplies gentle and precise positive and negative air pressure in your ear canal. This creates a measured, safe, and gentle push and pull effect on the ear canal and ear drum. Moving the ear canal and ear drum in this way may cause stimulation of two specific cranial nerves, the trigeminal nerve and the vagus nerve. Research shows that stimulation of the trigeminal nerve and stimulation of the vagus nerve may have a neuromodulation effect of calming down an overactive trigeminal nucleus and relieving the pain of migraine!
The patented migraine relief valve
To create the appropriate double neuromodulation to relieve the migraine headache a special ‘migraine relief valve’ needed to be created. The challenge was to create an effective airtight seal in the ear canal while delivering the correct gentle therapeutic positive and negative air pressure to stimulate both the trigeminal and vagus nerve appropriately. Too much pressure is dangerous for the eardrum and too little does not have a therapeutic effect. The whole process of getting migraines and relieving them is a complicated neurological situation. In simple terms, the Migraine Stopper™️ uses a double action neuromodulation, for the goal of maximum migraine relief. Our clinical trials indicate that it’s simple, safe, non-invasive and with no drugs or drug side effects.
Trigeminal Nerve (5TH Cranial Nerve) and migraine
The trigeminal nerve is the largest of the cranial nerves and is known as the "Great Sensory Nerve of the Head". The trigeminal nerve synapses and connects directly to the brain stem at the trigeminal nucleus. Branches of the trigeminal nerve supply the ear canal and eardrum.
The Migraine Stopper™️ uses precise air pressure to create specific movements in the ear canal and eardrum. When this is done, the trigeminal nerve registers the movement and relays this “new information” to the trigeminal nucleus. The “new information” has the effect of calming down the overactivity of the trigeminal nucleus.
Vagus Nerve (10th Cranial Nerve) and migraine
The vagus nerve is, in fact, and the longest cranial nerve in the body. It travels from your brain stem right down to your abdomen. It innervates many organs such as the heart, lung, liver and pancreas. It is also part of the parasympathetic system, which is responsible for calming down the stress centers of the brain stem. The goal of the Migraine Stopper™️ is to stimulate the ear canal and drum to in effect, increase parasympathetic information to the brain stem via the vagus nerve.
So the Migraine Stopper™️ has a dual goal for calming down an overactive trigeminal nucleus by in effect, stimulating the trigeminal nerve and vagus nerve at the same time.
The vagus nerve also supplies the ear canal and eardrum and connects to the brain stem at the trigeminal nucleus. When the Migraine Stopper™️ creates movement in the ear canal and eardrum, this information is relayed by the vagus nerve to the dorsal nucleus of the vagus nerve (in the brain stem) which then interacts with the trigeminal nucleus, having the effect of calming down overactivity.
The vagus nerve is a major parasympathetic nerve, which controls the “rest and digest” and healing functions of your body. It controls things like, heart rate, digestion, breathing rate and is even involved in helping with chronic inflammation.
The increasing parasympathetic tone has been thought to calm down the brain stem, lower inflammation, relax arterioles and increase blood flow, all which are known to be positive factors in reducing migraines.