In the US alone, there are about 30 million people suffering from migraines. The majority of this group is women since they are 3 times more likely than men to get migraine headaches. This is a very common condition and it is so painful that many sufferers often feel like life is not worth living when they are in such immense pain.
Severe migraines are accompanied by several other unpleasant symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, low blood pressure, irritability, inability to sleep, partial vision loss, etc.
Since most doctors are unable to pinpoint an exact cause of these migraines, the sufferers often feel helpless. When the medications such as beta blockers only have a limited effect on the pain, it can be quite unbearable and often they may contemplate doing migraine surgery.
Surgery on the head or around the brain is something most sane people would never want. Yet, if migraine sufferers are willing to go through it, you should have an idea of how debilitating the pain can be.
Whether or not you should go for migraine surgery is a decision that only you can make and of course, you will need to speak to your doctor to see if it is a viable option. Your doctor may or may not recommend it depending on the severity of your migraine headaches, your responsiveness to medication, etc.
So What is Migraine Surgery?
It’s a surgery that involves the removal of the nerve tissue that is causing the migraine headaches.
There are 4 zones on your head where migraines may occur.
The frontal zone is used to describe migraines that occur between your eyes and behind your eyebrows. For surgery in the frontal zone, the tissue aggravating the nerves will be removed with small cuts made behind the upper eyelid.
The occipital zone is the rear part of the head down to the back of the neck. This is a very common area where migraines seem to originate from. Many migraine sufferers also have neck pain. Usually migraines in this part of the head are caused by a nerve that is compressed by tight muscles in the area. Surgery will give the nerve some release and reduce the frequency of the headaches.
The temporal zone is where your temples are. If your migraines start here, in many cases, stress could be the trigger and you should try relaxation techniques and see if it helps before considering surgery. Surgery in this area will often involve releasing the tension of a small nerve that is compressed by your jaw muscles.
Last but not least, is the nasal zone. Many sinus headaches are actually migraines. They nasal nerves are affected due to the septum that is compressing them. Once again, surgery can be used to alleviate the problem and bring relief to the sufferer.
Migraine surgery is effective but it’s not a solution for everybody. Most people who go through it do get lasting relief and in many cases, the migraines disappear completely. However, there are always a few people who do not enjoy such positive results. That is worth bearing in mind.
Nevertheless, the majority do see positive results. Consult your doctor if you find your migraine headaches unbearable and would like some immediate, long-lasting relief that can be achieved with surgery. Weigh all of the pros and cons carefully before making your decision to have migraine surgery.
