Neurologists tell us regarding ‘migraine’
3.0 Tesla MRI equipment for high image quality and fast diagnosis time
Possession of equipment related to the vascular-cerebral nervous system, such as high-end ‘carotid ultrasound’
Specialists in each field, such as migraine, dementia, and stroke, provide one-stop service
《Headache is one of the common pain experienced by more than 90% of Koreans. But usually, there are many cases where you find a pharmacy that is closer than a hospital and relieve the pain at that time with painkillers. Unbearable or frequent headaches can be a sign that something is wrong with your body. It is better to go to the hospital and get an accurate examination.
Chronic migraine is a symptom in which abnormalities in the blood vessels of the brain are caused by sudden excitement of the cranial nerves. Persistent pain on more than 15 days per month or more than 180 days per year for months or years. If you have a severe migraine, you may overreact to sound or light, or experience difficulties in daily life, such as vomiting, diarrhea, loss of appetite, or depression.
Headache treatment varies slightly depending on the cause. Lee Tae-gyu, director of Lee Tae-gyu Neurology Clinic, said, “In the past, medications were mainly prescribed for migraine treatment, but recently Botox has been recognized as one of the effective treatments for headaches.” In 2010, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Botox as a treatment for chronic migraines, and the American Academy of Neurology recommended Botox for chronic migraine patients.
When migraine begins, nerve peptides such as calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), substance P, and neurokinin A that act on blood vessels are secreted from nerve terminals. This sensitizes the nerve endings and leaks interstitial fluid (extravascular fluid) into the outermost peridural space of the meningeal membrane. At this time, the headache is relieved by blocking the CGRP substance with Botox.
According to a study conducted in 1997 by Muscular Neuroscience and Neuroscience, when Botox is injected into the skin muscle, the muscles around the blood vessels going to the brain are paralyzed. At this time, the secretion of pain-related neurotransmitters is suppressed and pain receptors that feel pain are changed, thereby relieving headache. Botox blocks nerve activity in the muscles around the head and neck, which is effective in chronic migraine and other headache disorders.
Unlike medicines that must be taken every day, Botox can have a long-term effect of regarding 3 months with a single injection. The Botox titration unit is injected in a total of 31 places, including the forehead, temples, back of the head, and shoulders.
However, Botox is not effective for all headache symptoms. It is highly effective for chronic migraine with headache symptoms for more than 15 days a month and accompanied by medication-overuse headache. Although very rare, side effects of Botox headache treatment may include pain at the injection site, bruising, drooping eyelids or raised eyebrows.
Headaches have many different causes and patterns, and treatment varies depending on the diagnosis. It is important to find a headache specialist and receive treatment because continuing headaches can develop into chronic illnesses if left unattended.
Taekyu Lee Neurology Clinic, which opened in 2002, celebrated its 20th anniversary this year. Taekyu Lee Neurology Clinic specializes in the treatment and prevention of brain and nervous system diseases. It was the first in Korea to operate a headache clinic and a stroke screening center, drawing attention from the medical community. In terms of facilities and scale, it boasts the best among private neurology hospitals and clinics nationwide. About 3,000 patients visit each year. Patients range in age from seniors suffering from dementia, stroke, stroke, and Parkinson’s disease to young people complaining of headaches and dizziness.
The biggest advantage of Taekyu Lee Neurology Clinic is the one-stop treatment system. It allowed patients to check most of the results from diagnosis to results with just one visit. This is because it is equipped with the latest medical equipment, which is rare for private clinics. Taekyu Lee Neurology Clinic has a 3.0 Tesla Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) equipment. 3.0 Tesla is the highest specification among MRIs currently deployed in medical fields, and the higher the number, the better the image quality. Higher image quality allows medical staff to make more accurate diagnoses. The 3.0 Tesla takes regarding 40% less shooting time than the previous version, and the size of the inspection hole is more than 10cm wider. This drastically reduces the patient’s complaints of stuffiness and noise following entering the MRI. Even claustrophobic or obese patients can undergo the examination in a much more comfortable environment compared to previous versions of MRI. The MRI interpretation is performed by a medical staff who was a professor in the imaging department, so the reliability of the diagnosis is high.
‘Carotid artery ultrasound’ is also in operation with the latest equipment installed. Carotid artery ultrasound is a test that checks the degree of narrowing of the carotid artery, which runs through the neck to the head, to check whether blood flows well. It is used to diagnose the risk of stroke or cardiovascular disease. Director Lee Tae-gyu is in charge of this inspection. Director Lee said, “It is not an exaggeration to say that a patient’s life or death is determined by whether or not a 1mm difference can be detected in a stroke.” An increase in carotid artery thickness of more than 1 mm increases the risk of stroke by 3.6 times in men and 5.5 times in women.
It is also possible to test for sleep disorders, which are considered one of the chronic diseases of modern people. Polysomnography is a method of monitoring sleep status while sleeping overnight in a hospital in order to comprehensively diagnose various sleep disorders (such as apnea). The staff stays by the patient’s side all night and checks the condition. It’s practically a 24-hour operation.
In addition, Lee Tae-gyu Neurology Clinic has ultrasound to measure blood flow in cerebral blood vessels, nerve conduction test and electromyography to check muscle response by electrically stimulating nerves, evoked potential test to observe abnormalities in electrophysiological function, blood pressure It is equipped with almost all equipment related to cranial nervous system diseases, such as a blood vessel elasticity test that precisely measures blood pressure.
3.0 Tesla Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) equipment. It is the highest specification among MRIs currently deployed in medical fields, and the higher the number, the better the image quality. Courtesy of Taekyu Lee Neurology ClinicNo matter how much the best and latest medical equipment is equipped, it is useless if the ability of the person who uses it is not supported. Taekyu Lee Neurology Clinic boasts the best medical staff in each field. Director Lee is regarded as the nation’s top authority on headache and stroke prevention. After graduating from Seoul National University’s medical school and graduate school, he moved to the United States following undergoing a neurologist’s course at Seoul National University Hospital. He has served as a Clinical Fellow at Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), and the Cleveland Clinic. He published a paper as the first author in the world-renowned medical journal ‘Lancet’. During his tenure as a professor at Kyunghee University, he focused on migraine-related research, including the first in Korea to conduct a migraine epidemiology study. He received the American Society of Neuroscience ‘Foreign Academic Award’ and the ‘Young Headache Researcher Award’. He was also listed three times in the world’s top three biographical dictionary, ‘Marquis Who’s Who’.
In addition to Director Lee, the hospital has specialists in various fields. Director Kim Gyeong-joon, who worked at Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, suffered from dizziness, Parkinson’s disease, tremor, face tremors, and sleep disorders. Director Hyung-in Cho, who served as a full-time doctor at the hospital, was a full-time doctor for headaches and strokes, and Asan Medical Center, a full-time doctor for peripheral nerve, muscle, and spinal cord diseases. is in charge They provide the best medical care to patients and are highly regarded both inside and outside the hospital.
Prevention is of paramount importance in cerebral nervous system diseases. Stroke can lead to death, vegetative state, or severe paralysis once suffered, and the quality of life of the patient is drastically reduced. The life of a family member who takes care of a patient with reduced mobility is also difficult. However, there are not many university hospitals or private hospitals that focus on stroke prevention in Korea. On the other hand, Taekyu Lee Neurology Clinic has a system comparable to that of tertiary medical institutions in stroke prevention.
Meanwhile, the Korean Headache Society presents the ‘Lee Tae-gyu Academic Award’ every year. This award was prepared by Director Lee to honor his contribution to the development of headache medicine in Korea. In 1999, Dr. Lee founded the Korean Headache Research Society, the predecessor of the Headache Society, with Jeong Jin-sang, professor of neurology at Samsung Seoul Hospital. The Lee Tae-gyu Academic Award selects the first and second prizes following reviewing papers published in the Journal of the Korean Headache Society with 10 million won donated annually by President Lee.
Reporter Hong Eun-sim [email protected]
