Migraine device could leave you with serious burns

When the Zecuity pain patch first hit the market, we were promised that it would melt away even the worst migraine pain.

But now it looks like it could end up melting away your skin instead.

Reports have surfaced from around the country of people suffering serious — and maybe permanent — burns after using Zecuity for migraine relief.

It’s an urgent warning that every migraine sufferer needs to hear — and one that our government sat on for years.

Crash and burn

The idea behind Zecuity was supposed to be simple.

Just attach it to your arm or leg, and it uses an electric current to deliver a steady supply of migraine meds.

But lots of people with migraines just ended up trading in one severe pain for another.

The FDA recently sent out an alert that it was receiving reports of people who’d been seriously burned — and perhaps scarred forever — by their Zecuity devices.

We still don’t know how many people have been injured, but even the FDA is acknowledging that the number is “large.”

And you know the problem has to be pretty bad for them to admit that.

Now, I know what you’re thinking — this is another one of those cases where the FDA approved a new drug or medical device without understanding the risks.

That’s what I was thinking, too. But it looks like we were both wrong.

You see, in January 2013 the FDA reviewed the trial and safety data on Zecuity. And buried on page 5 of the FDA’s report is a note highlighting “serious concerns about the potential of the product to cause severe burns and permanent skin lesions.”

That’s right — people were getting burned during the clinical trials! And the FDA approved Zecuity anyway!

If that doesn’t destroy whatever faith you had left in the FDA, I don’t know what will.

Unfortunately, too many people with migraines will continue rolling the dice with Zecuity and other risky meds because they’re so desperate for relief.

And, believe me, I get it. But the good news is that you don’t have to rely on dangerous pills or patches to ease your migraine pain. In fact, here are five proven things you can try right now:

1. Limit your caffeine: The more you load up on caffeine, the more your body starts to crave and depend on it. And when you go through caffeine withdrawal, it can trigger migraines. Your best bet is to keep your caffeine consumption to a minimum.
2. Get an adjustment: Studies have shown that regular visits to a chiropractor can reduce both the frequency and severity of migraines.
3. Use this “Greek secret” to melt away pain: The herbal cure feverfew has been used since the times of Ancient Greece as a natural pain reliever. One study out of England found it was about 70 percent effective for helping ease migraine symptoms.
4. Find a good acupuncturist: Research has shown that acupuncture can provide as much long-term migraine relief as prescription drugs, but without the risks.
5. Load up on B vitamins: One study found that people who took 400 mg. of riboflavin (vitamin B2) a day had significantly fewer migraines after just three months.

“FDA investigating migraine patch skin reactions” Megan Brooks, June 3, 2016, WebMD, webmd.com