Living with migraine headaches can be a massive challenge that can even affect the quality of life. It can be quite scary to feel so much pain, not knowing when your migraine will occur and the duration it will last. Luckily, if you are only experiencing mild migraines and they do not occur frequently, you might be fine with simple lifestyle changes or using over-the-counter pain relievers. On the other hand, if your attacks are more frequent or severe, your migraine specialist in Alexandria recommends prescription-strength pain relievers and migraine prevention drugs.
The migraine procedure is the only approach that does not start with symptoms, but instead the migraine’s underlying cause. It is a real chance for migraine patients to have complete recovery or dramatically reduce how severe and frequent the attacks are. However, you need to know that therapy is not for everyone and the migraine procedure is no exception. It might not be suitable for all patients. That is why much of its success is due to the multistage identification process, which involves several diagnostics tests performed by a qualified physician. The following are some of the steps involved with the migraine procedure:
Migraine Questionnaire
Do you have a migraine or is it some other form of headache? This is the first question that Integrated Neurology Services addresses. Any patient who wants the migraine procedure will need to fill in a comprehensive questionnaire. The required information includes family history, migraine symptoms, clinical characteristics, possible triggers, and how frequently you experience the attacks. A review of any medication and complementary therapy taken to date might be required as well. Filling the questionnaire can be done online or at the center.
Interview and Diagnosis
Once a patient fills out the questionnaire, a qualified surgeon schedules an interview to determine whether there’s a case of migraine or not. If a patient confirms to have a migraine, the next thing is to determine the type of your migraine. After that, a comprehensive picture of the patient’s migraine characteristics is developed by the surgeon and the patient.
Nerve Decompression
A surgeon administers injections that stimulate the long-term effect of the surgical procedure. They determine whether the patient is suitable for the migraine operation or not. Nerve decompression involves injecting a muscle paralyzing medication into one or more trigger points. It facilitates muscle relaxation so that the trigeminal nerve does not get agitated. It is a routine used to avoid the cascade of events that might cause migraine attacks.
Use of a Record Diary
It is essential to monitor if the injections are successful and that is why patients are asked to record their migraine symptoms in a pain diary within eight weeks. The record will help identify if one is experiencing migraine attacks less frequently and less intensively. If that is the case, then there’s a high possibility that the migraine procedure is successful. If not, your surgeon might recommend other treatment options.
Surgery
Unlike the injections that are only from patients with short-term relief, the migraine procedure allows patients to enjoy long-lasting relief from the migraine symptoms. Usually, the surgery is performed in about an hour under full anesthetic. It can be an outpatient procedure, depending on a patient’s condition.
Consult your Integrated Neurology Services provider to learn more about migraines.