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Multimodal epigenetics can treat migraine pain
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NEW ORLEANS – Every patient has his or her unique causes of migraine, and epigenetics can be used to address those causes, a speaker said here at the Ocular Nutrition Society meeting, held in conjunction with the American Academy of Optometry.
George Rozakis, MD, told attendees that migraines affect 10% of the population and one-fourth of all households. Multiple therapies are attempted including eliminating diet triggers, using nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents, eliminating caffeine and prescribing anti-seizure medication.
“We have to do everything we can to get rid of the problem,” he said. “You can’t fix a person with one substance.”
According to www.whatisepigenetics.com, “Epigenetics refers to heritable changes in gene expression (active vs. inactive genes) that do not involve changes to the underlying DNA sequence – a change in phenotype without a change in genotype.”
Epigenetic change occurs naturally but can also be affected by age, environment and disease, the website states.
Rozakis conducted a retrospective study of 34 subjects, most of whom were women, who ranged in age from 23 to 73 years. All patients suffered from migraines of varying frequency and duration. He created an epigenetic map and filled in each patient’s data gathered from biochemistry testing, hormone panel, food sensitivity/inflammatory tests, genetics, methylation pathway and neurotransmitters.
“You will not fix a migraine patient unless you drill down and see what the causes are,” he said. “Migraine touches many different points in the epigenetic map.”
After he completed the maps for the study patients, Rozakis said, “Their past medical history lit up like a Christmas tree. Type 1 diabetes, Crohn’s disease, depression, addiction, heart disease. Their histories are full of associated conditions.”
He noted that test results can change day to day, so patients should be retested if they do not respond to treatment.
Once each patient’s problem was addressed, migraine pain was relieved in 97%, Rozakis said.
“Associated symptoms also improved: fatigue, weight loss, vertigo, acid reflux, asthma, hair loss, joint pain, constipation, fibromyalgia, insomnia, anxiety, memory, irritable bowel disease, libido, cholesterol,” he said. “This is no surprise; this is cellular medicine. All of these symptoms are based in some group of cellular dysfunction.
“We think we made a discovery,” he continued. “Migraine is not one disease, not one cause. If you treat a migraine with one therapy, you will have a really hard time helping these people.” – by Nancy Hemphill, ELS, FAAO
Disclosure: Rozakis is the founder of xRMD.