S.M. Rathnasiri Bandara
Introduction: Migraine is a primary headache disorder and is the most common disabling primary headache disorder that occurs in children and adolescents. This study evaluated the effects of paranasal air suction using a portable air sucker on headache relief and other migraine symptoms such as photophobia, phonophobia, numbness over face and scalp, nausea/vomiting and generalized tiredness/weakness of the body and side effects up to 24 hours.
Methodology: A randomized, double blind control clinical trial was conducted with 86 Sri Lankan school children of age 16 – 19 years, who met International Headache Society criteria for migraine (with or without aura). They were randomly allocated into 2 groups where one group was subjected to three intermittent ten second paranasal air suctions using a portable air sucker with a ten second suction free interval between two suctions for each nostril.
Results: There was a significant reduction in severity of headcahe, left and right scalp and supraorbital tenderness, photophobia, phonophobia, nausea/vomiting and generalized tiredness/weakness of the body in the treatment group compared to control group and these symptoms did not recur within the initial 24 hour period.
Conclusion: This is pilot study showed that paranasal air suction for 60 seconds using a low pressure portable air sucker gave considerable immediate benefits and the benefit lasted for 24 hour period without side effects. Further studies are needed with a larger sample to confirm these results.