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Wednesday, March 12, 2014, at 8:15 p.m. on SWR Television

Nausea, dizziness, excruciating headaches: Approximately eight million people in Germany suffer from migraines. The SWR television program "betrifft" will dedicate its Wednesday, March 12, 2014, 8:15 p.m. program to this widespread condition, seeking answers to the question: "What helps against these headache attacks?" The film, by "betrifft" author Dr. Manfred Bölk, presents the difficulties faced by those affected within the current healthcare system. It uses real-life treatment cases to illustrate new treatment methods and the possibilities of modern care. Viewers will witness, among other things, a live account of an acute migraine attack on a ferry in the Kiel Fjord and the necessary emergency care at the Kiel Pain Clinic. The film offers a direct, behind-the-scenes look at the implantation of a neuromodulation system for chronic migraine patients in the operating room and the interdisciplinary care provided to those affected.

Migraines always strike out of the blue: On her way to visit her daughter and two grandchildren, Rosemarie Westphal is struck, as she has so often before – a sudden headache, dizziness, and difficulty speaking. The 54-year-old has suffered from migraines since she was 16.

Most patients experience their first migraine attack, with its excruciating headaches that can last for days, during puberty or as young adults. It's a shock that shapes the rest of their lives. This is almost always followed by an odyssey through doctors' offices and therapy centers – often without success. This is because migraine attacks are usually misunderstood as a consequence of other physical ailments or psychological problems. Depending on the specialist consulted, the cause of the headaches is suspected to lie in the cervical spine, eyes, large intestine, or teeth. However, new research shows that migraine is an independent, inherited disease. Under certain circumstances, internal or external stimuli then trigger the agonizing "storm in the head.".

Manfred Bölk, author of the German news program "betrifft," visited some of Germany's most prestigious pain clinics. His film shows what can be done today to prevent and treat migraine attacks. Using various patient stories, different therapeutic approaches are demonstrated: These include not only medication and relaxation therapies, but also entirely new approaches – such as the local application of Botox or the implantation of an electrical pulse generator designed to block pain attacks.

"Subject: Migraine – A Common Ailment – ​​What Helps Against Headache Attacks?" on Wednesday, March 12, 2014, at 8:15 p.m. on SWR Television