According to a study in the July 2008 edition of Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery, surgical decompression of the occipital nerves reduces the frequency and intensity of migraines among people who had their trigger sites identified by Botox injections prior to the surgical decompression procedure.

Confirmation of Surgical Decompression to Relieve Migraine Headaches

Thirty-nine percent of patients discontinued use of all migraine medications after receiving the surgical decompression procedure. All of the patients said they would repeat the procedure.

The procedure involves removing the muscle that presses against the nerves that trigger migraine attacks. Botox has the same effect in that it relieves the pressure of the muscles surrounding the nerves that trigger a person's migraine attacks, but it is a temporary solution. Botox must be repeated every three months to continue the patient's relief.

The study authors noted that extensive patient screening is required to determine who has the best chance of benefiting from the procedure and to identify the patient's trigger sites.

Sources:
Botox, Surgical Decompression and Migraine Headache Relief

Technorati Tags: botox, research, news, treatment, prevention, depression, migraines, chronic illness, health, somebody heal me

Subscribe to the Somebody Heal Me feed: Subscribe in a reader or subscribe by e-mail.

Content by Diana E. Lee.