Migraine Headaches        

Most people have experienced a headache. The vast majorities of headaches are of short duration and are of low intensity.  Simple headaches are usually treated with over-the-counter painkillers such as aspirin, acetaminophen) or ibuprofen. 

However, one in eight people throughout the world suffer complex headaches that may last for several hours, may occur as often as several times daily and can be completely debilitating. These headaches are predominately migraine headaches, but may also include cluster headaches and extreme forms of tension headaches. Treatment of these headaches is typically with prescription drugs.

Migraine headaches are a neurobiological disease. Although much about headaches still isn't understood, some researchers think migraines may be caused by functional changes in the trigeminal nerve system, a major pain pathway in your nervous system, and by imbalances brain chemicals, including serotonin, which plays a regulatory role for pain messages going through this pathway.

During a headache, serotonin levels drop. Researchers believe this causes the trigeminal nerve to release substances called neuropeptides, which travel to your brain's outer covering (meninges). There they cause blood vessels to become dilated and inflamed. The result is headache pain.

The leading theory on headaches is that one or more events will trigger a chemical reaction within the brain.  There are hundreds of factors that trigger migraine such as stress, foods, smoking, alcohol, environmental factors, depression, and certain medications.

The brain pushes chemicals into the peripheral nervous system which in turn generates pain signals that are sent back to the brain.  If the pain signals continue long enough and in sufficient volume, the brain becomes sensitized or overexcited, resulting in pain generation within the brain, at which point the headache is beyond control.  This debilitating disease often leaves sufferers unable to work or carry on a normal life and, because a headache cannot be seen by others, they live in a world of quiet desperation without a way to validate that their condition is real.

Migraine is a serious condition that impacts our society and the effects of migraine headache pain are immense. Following are statistics provided by the American Headache Society:

1. 12% of the world population experiences migraine headaches
    
2. 75% of migraine sufferers are women (Cindy McCain, wife of Sen. John McCain is a migraine sufferer and was the keynote speaker at the International Headache Society convention in September ’09, where she offered a plea for more research for new and better treatments to help the world’s sufferers)
    
3. A person who suffers headaches 15+ days a month is considered a ‘Chronic’ sufferer.  A person who suffers headaches less frequently is an ‘Episodic’ sufferer.
    
4. 4% of the population are Chronic migraine sufferers
    
5. 50% of the chronic sufferers do not respond to any medication. (A person who does not respond to available headache treatments is considered ‘refractory’ or ‘intractable’)
    
6. 36% of returning Iraq War veterans suffer from migraine.
    
7. It is estimated headaches are responsible for up to one million days of school and one hundred fifty million days of work missed per year in the United States alone.
    
8. Each year, it is estimated that time lost from work due to headache costs the United States up to $17 billion dollars in absenteeism, lost productivity and medical expenses. Employers lose approximately $4,400 in productivity from each migraine sufferer each year.
    
9. One in four families has a family member who suffers migraine headaches and 50% of sufferers have a family history of migraines.

According to the National Headache Foundation, migraine characteristics include:

• Pain typically on one side of the head
• Pain has a pulsating or throbbing quality
• Moderate to intense pain affecting daily activities
• Attacks last four to 72 hours, sometimes longer
• Exertion such as climbing stairs makes headache worse
• Nausea or vomiting
• Sensitivity to light or sound

Migraine attacks come in four phases: the prodrome, the aura, the headache, and the postdrome. The prodrome occurs hours or days before the attack and the migraineur experiences sensitivity to light and sounds, mood changes, loss of appetite or certain cravings, fatigue, or constipation or diarrhea. About 20% of sufferers will then experience aura. Those with aura will endure visual disturbances such as wavy lines, dots, or flashing lights about 20 minutes to an hour before head pain. Some people will also experience tingling in their arms or face or difficulty speaking. The head pain will last anywhere from several hours to several days and is associated with the above symptoms. Finally, during the postdrome, or period after the headache, the sufferer may feel listless, weak, irritable, and/or fatigued. 

About 30% of headache sufferers (40 million people in the United States) are periodically functionally impaired.  Approximately 12% of the world population experiences migraine headaches and approximately 4% of the world population experiences chronic daily headaches.  Of this amount, roughly half do not respond to any available headache treatment.  Based upon current information, it is projected as much as 8% of the world population could benefit from the Company’s headache treatment.

Migraine headache sufferers within the United States spend an average of between $4,500 and $7,000 a year on headache medical treatments.  Studies reflect that within the United States over $4 billion is spent annually on headache treatments.  Based upon current information, it is projected that the total annual world market is four times the size of the U.S. market, or $16 billion in total.

International Wellness Resorts Inc. is developing a proprietary drug-free treatment for severe migraine headache pain.