What Are the Treatments for Moyamoya Migraines?

Moyamoya migraines are the result of moyamoya disease, a relatively rare progressive brain disorder. It is a vascular disease in which the blood vessels in the brain narrow and constrict, resulting in painful headaches. The blocked arteries and blood vessels are located at the base of the brain. Moyamoya sufferers experience mini-strokes and disturbances in speech, difficulty walking and other symptoms similar to those found in stroke victims, reports the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS).

Facts

• "Moyamoya"---a Japanese word that means "puff of smoke"---was first identified in Japan during the 1960s. Patients have been found in Europe, Africa, Australia and the United States, according to NINDS, but moyamoya migraines mostly affect children.

Diagnosis

• To make a formal diagnosis of moyamoya disease, a doctor may order a cerebral angiography, which is "a test that creates images of the blood flow through the brain," reports NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital. According to Dr. Roy Sucholeiki of the Neurosciences Institute at Central DuPage Hospital in Illinois, a neurologist---a medical specialist who works with brain disorders---should be consulted for moyamoya patients. Although moyamoya disease is a cerebrovascular disease, a neurologist may be able to offer treatment suggestions for strokes and brain changes or assist with surgical intervention.

Contributing Factors

• Sucholeiki emphasizes that any blood pressure problems need to be immediately addressed and controlled, through lifestyle and diet changes, and/or medication. The intended effect from lowered blood pressure is prevention of further strokes as the disease progresses.

Severe Cases

• According to New York-Presbyterian Hospital, patients with severe symptoms may be candidates for surgery. Usually these are children who have had significant impairment from restricted blood vessels. Surgery redirects blood vessels in the affected areas and allows them to re-grow so they are not constricted. Most patients find the disease does not return after surgery, NINDS says.

Treatments

• For patients who are not candidates for surgery, the focus is on treating symptoms. Thinning the blood makes it flow easier through the circulatory system. This can be done with antiplatelet agents or anticoagulant medications, according to Sucholeiki, although there is some risk of hemorrhage. Rehabilitation, such as speech or physical therapy, may also be recommended, but without surgery, NINDS reports, further decline is likely.