By rob eagar 
Introduction: We are about to explain the step-by-step guide for how the headache surgery works and what a patient will experience after that. This surgery is very important for patients who struggle with chronic headaches and have exhausted all other treatment plans among which not even a single one showed any results.
Being diagnosed with chronic migraines or occipital neuralgia means that finding a treatment that will alleviate pain and discomfort is often not easy. If medication and lifestyle changes do not help to control and prevent headaches, headache surgery becomes the most effective option. But how does it work? It is now important to explain this rather peculiar treatment in stages to clearly grasp how it works. Yes, it’s important that you know everything about it and get the details that are important for people who struggle with unending headaches.
So, let’s start with a step-by-step guide that explains how headache surgery works and what you must keep in mind.
Read More: https://expertsay.blog/does-occipital-neuralgia-go-away-with-lifestyle-changes/
Step 1: Screening Candidates for Surgery
Although there is evidence of success in headache surgery, the technique is not suitable for everybody. Physicians first of all select right candidates. More often, they are people whose headaches are of mechanical origin from nerve roots or vascular origin. Diagnostic tests such as imaging studies or temporary nerve blocks are requested to find out whether surgery is a course to be considered. If you have a headache like once in a blue moon, you are not eligible for this surgery. Those patients who complain more than 15-20 times a week are considered for this kind of treatment.
Step 2: Preoperative Evaluation
Any patient before going under the knife is first assessed comprehensively. This comprises a clinical history, examination, and, in some cases psychological evaluation in order to determine readiness. The potential patient complications are explained by surgeons before the surgery and the outcome that the patient can achieve is described like that of Migraine Surgery.
This session is important because it helps the surgeon know everything about the patient and makes it easy to convince him that everything is fine and there is nothing more to worry about. Also, if the patient has another serious issue, it will be evident in the reports and the doctor will make sure that the issue is taken care of with the help of other medical professionals and then he will proceed with the surgery process.
Step 3: Surgical Options and Their Contents
Headache surgery is mainly classified by the type of headache that is being surgically treated. As per the top experts, the common approaches include:
1. Nerve Decompression Surgery
Decompresses nerves by either resecting some of the adjacent tissue or ligature compressing the blood vessel around the nerve.
2. Occipital Nerve Surgery
Designed to act on the occipital nerves at the back of the head that are involved in giving occipital neuralgia.
3. Artery Ligation
Cuts small blood vessels that may sensitize nerves, especially during a migraine.
Step 4: The Surgical Procedure
Surgery to treat headaches is mostly done in ways that do not require extensive incisions, and patients are either anesthetized locally or generally. Surgeons then safely expose the affected nerve or trigger point in the form of a minor incision. They unfasten, move, or discharge the tissues or vessels to treat the cause of inflammation. The procedure totals between 1 to 3 hours based on the level of difficulty involved. An important thing to mention here is that you cannot expect a general surgeon to help you when you know that your case may be complicated. Always find a good neurosurgeon who has the experience to deal with such situations.
Step 5: Recovery and Results
Following the operation, there may be some inflammation or slight pain, which are normal and should disappear in a few weeks. Most surgeons give instructions on how to take care of yourself following surgery and arrange for checkups afterward. Most patients indicate they experience minimal or no headaches, and if present, they have a substantial or complete improvement in months. So, if you are heading for this treatment, make sure that you have time for recovery too because if you are thinking that you would be absolutely fine just after coming out of the hospital, you need to first talk to your surgeon.
Step 6: Long-Term Benefits
It is also important to know that when the surgery is effective, the headache surgery is said to change the quality of life significantly. This lowers reliance on medications and improves mobility, and overall functionality, and reduces the occurrence and severity of headaches to a huge extent.
There is no doubt that headache surgery may be a salvation for people suffering from chronic headaches using a combination of Evidence-based precision medicine supported by fundamental and clinical research and advanced minimally invasive neurosurgical techniques.
At Last
So, we can conclude here by saying that it’s easy to choose a treatment procedure for recurring chronic headaches but before you proceed, you must know everything about it. It includes what are the different steps involved in it, what you can expect after the surgery, and all the essential details that every patient must know about the headache surgery. If you still have some doubts, you can consult the top surgeons at Migraine Surgery Speciality Center. They are experienced and known for providing top-notch medical treatment for chronic headaches.