United States: For those who have migraines constantly, Migraine surgery can lessen the quantum of headache days. This is according to a recent review. Health experts are working on each these issues to reduce the difficulties faces by the patients these days.
Touching the Actual Goal of Migraine Surgery
Results have been published in recently this month in Journal Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery which shows that the surgery can reduce the frequency and seriousness of migraine attacks.
Plastic Surgeons vs. Neurologists
Dr. Jeffrey Janis, a researcher and professor of plastic surgery, surgery, neurosurgery, and neurology at Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, said, “Our study adds new evidence that headache surgery improves both sets of measures, providing a more comprehensive assessment of the results of headache surgery.”
According to researchers, the goal of migraine surgery is to release pressure on nerves at trigger points in the head and neck. It is believed that headaches are a result of this pressure.
Addressing Discrepancies in Evaluation
According to Janis, neurologists evaluating migraine medications typically concentrate on whether or not they shorten the duration of a patient’s headaches.
However, Janis noted that while doing headache surgery, plastic surgeons usually employ an index that assesses the frequency, severity, and length of migraine attacks.
Comprehensive Assessment in Research
According to Janis, in a journal news release, “this discrepancy is one reason why some headache specialists have been slow to recognize the growing body of evidence showing the effectiveness of headache surgery.”
In order to establish a shared understanding of migraine surgery among the two professional groups, the review team chose to take into account both methods of evaluating its efficacy.
Reduced Headache Days and Migraine Attacks
Over 1,600 patients participated in 19 studies of headache surgery that were analyzed by the researchers between 2005 and 2020. Researchers discovered that after having migraine surgery, patients experienced an average of 14 fewer headache days per month.
Importance of Collaboration Between Specialties
Additionally, there was a drop in migraine attacks overall of about nine days per month. Along with reducing migraine length and intensity, the operation had no significant side effects.
The researchers stated that the study “demonstrates the efficacy of headache surgery on the outcomes used in both the [plastic surgery] and neurology literature.”
Enhancing Comparison of Treatments
“We hope our study will help to foster common communication between plastic surgeons and neurologists in assessing the effects of headache surgery for patients with chronic headache pain,” Janis stated. “Future studies of headache surgery should routinely include data on monthly migraine days, in order to better compare the outcomes of surgical and medical treatments.”