My friend Jack suffers from the most terrible migraines. But he has an unusual solution. When his migraine starts, he lays down and gently straps a vibrator to the top of his forehead. He swears that it offers instant relief from the pain.
Though unconventional, Jack’s idea has historic roots. In 1892, neurologist Jean-Martin Charcot observed that Parkinson’s patients showed improvements in their tremors after prolonged carriage rides. He attributed this to rhythmic vibrations and fashioned a “fauteuil trepidant”—a shaking chair, which replicated the movement. His student, Georges Gilles de la Tourette, later extended the technique to treat migraines using a vibrating helmet. Both therapies provided