A handheld device which fires magnetic pulses into the brain could offer relief to millions of migraine suffers.
Clinical trials found the "transcranial magnetic stimulator" was effective at reducing pain.
Of 164 patients treated with the device during trials by the UK's Institute for Health and Care Excellence, 39% were found to be pain-free after two hours. And 30% were still without pain after 24 hours.
In a separate study, the frequency of headaches declined in 75%of migraine patients who were treated repeatedly with the device.
Consultant neurologist Dr Fayyaz Ahmed, a trustee of The Migraine Trust, said: "This is a breakthrough treatment for those who cannot tolerate or do not respond to current treatment, and opens the door for a new era in treating migraine headaches."
Professor Peter Goadsby, chair of the British Association for the Study of Headache, added: "Single-pulse transcranial magnetic stimulation is a wonderful example of clinical and laboratory research delivering a real improvement in migraine treatment that is both effective and extremely well tolerated."
Migraine is an intense pulsing or throbbing pain in part of the head, accompanied by nausea and sometimes vomiting, plus heightened sensitivity to light and sound.
The debilitating condition can last from four up to 72 hours if not treated.
The device is held against the back of the head and a pulse of magnetic energy is released through the skull to stimulate nerves located in the occipital cortex - the visual processing centre.
Although the exact causes of migraine are still in dispute, the process is thought to interrupt abnormal electrical activity in the brain. -
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