New procedure for migraine relief

[jerseygirl]

I just read this in the news:

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/168213.php

Hope it helps somebody.

     Eve

[Jim Scott]

Eve ~

Interesting article regarding the recent success of nerve decompression surgery to relieve migraine headaches.  Although there are the expected, specific parameters to being a candidate for this surgery, the results appear to be impressive for those who qualify.  Thanks for posting.

Jim

[ppearl214]

Hey Eve! thanks for sharing this... I had to look as well (as I've been diagnosed with 3 different kinds of migraines -- non-AN related) so it definately piqued my interest.

For the back of the head process, it doesn't sound too far off from Chiari 1 decompression surgery.. and for those I know that had CM1 surgery, their migraines also aleviated, so there has to be something to it.

the article does note a "criteria" for patients, which I found interesting:

"At this time, not all migraine sufferers are eligible for surgery. Candidates for the procedure must experience migraines caused by a specific trigger site and must have benefited from Botox treatment consistently over the course of several months. Three of the most common trigger sites include the frontal (forehead), occipital (back of head) and temporal (temples) region. Once the trigger site is identified, the surgery is then performed to release nerve tension around that given region."

The part in "bold" is what intrigues me... I'd be curious as to why they deem a criteria for successful Botox treatments to be part of the criteria... just curiousity killing the cat

glad to hear this gentleman found relief through this procedure....   

thanks again for sharing,
Phyl

[jerseygirl]

Hi, Phyl,

The criteria intrigued me,too. Some people on this forum experience success, albeit temporary, with Botox. So, I figured, they might experience permanent pain relief with this procedure.

             Eve

[Captain Deb]

The Botox paralyzes the muscle and surrounding tissue that is irritating the nerve and making it misfire.  I can actually feel this happening in my own head with my occipital nerve on my surgical side.  I believe the muscle and surrounding tissue was damaged from the splint they had my head in for the surgery, although I may have already had some defomities in the area because I had some headaches in the same place pre-op.  The splint just did further damage.  I haven't had botox yet because my insurance wouldn't pay for it.  Now that I'm on Medicare, I don't know if it will pay for it or not.  I have had Depomedrol nerve blocks in the greater and lesser occipital nerves and they seemed to help a lot.  Botox is a lot less damaging than the Depomedrol, which is a steroid. 

The theory is that if the Botox works, surgery to make room for the nerve is a more permanent fix.  Unfortunately, the clinic in Cleveland does not take anone's insurance because the surgery is still deemed "experimental" but that may change soon.

Capt Deb