Migraines last between two and 72 hours and can be debilitating and painful. The headache condition is estimated to affect 15 per cent of the global population and symptoms include an increased sensitivity to light, sound and smell. It can leave sufferers seeking sanctuary in darkened rooms until the episode passes.
Currently sufferers experience certain signs such as a change of mood, tiredness and changes in appetite, which can indicate that a migraine is imminent. These signs usually occur between two days and two hours before a migraine occurs but they do not indicate accurately when the migraine will actually start. This means that people are often only able to take painkillers at a time when their effectiveness is significantly reduced.
Now, scientists from Spain have created a data simulation system that is able to predict the onset of a migraine earlier, which will allow sufferers to take action and alleviate the severity of the symptoms in advance. The simulation utilises real patient data and studies information such as heart rate, skin surface temperature and oxygen levels in the capillaries. This data is then assimilated to establish physical indications that a patient is going to suffer a migraine.
The team’s findings were published in the journal Future Generation Computer Systems. The researchers found that their system had an accuracy rate of 76 per cent and that the average time when sufferers were alerted to the onset of a migraine was 25 minutes. This gives people sufficient time to take painkillers effectively before the migraine begins.
The scientists said that their new discovery could carry a number of benefits to people’s quality of life. They also said that the technology could reduce visits to hospitals and reduce economic costs associated with migraines such as health insurance premiums and absenteeism from work.