7 Healthcast: Migraine Help

With an odd contraption in her mouth, Jill Guerico is being treated for migraines

Jill Guerico, Migraine Sufferer
"It will become something pounding, pulsating, very much in the temporal area."

Jill found the new treatment by accident, when she went to the dentist for a different problem...

Jill Guerico, Migraine Sufferer
"As he was examining me, he put his finger all the way in the back of my mouth and he pressed on this spot and I saw stars."

Turns out Dr. Friedman has found a spot in the back of the mouth, between the gums and cheek that is extremely tender and inflamed in headache sufferers, migraine and tension headaches alike.

Dr. Mark Friedman, New York Medical College
"We found that it's local, and because of that, we can treat it locally, and we get profound and un-invasive correction of the headache or prevention of the headache."

Treatment is this odd device Jill was using -- it circulates cold water through the tips for about 30 minutes to reduce the inflammation in the back of the mouth.

A new study in the journal headache found that it was as effective as triptans for migraines...without the side effects.

After a couple in-office cooling sessions, patients can graduate to an anti-inflammatory cream they apply daily to the sensitive area.

For some, it's worked ...

Jill Guerico, Migraine sufferer
"It is amazing and you do feel much, much better."

Dominick Massaro, Migraine sufferer
"I can't believe it. I keep on waiting for it to happen and it's not happening."

Several studies have shown the cooling device eases 80% of severe headaches within 40 minutes... without drugs... making it safe even for pregnant women.