19 Jun New Treatment May Aid Those with Debilitating Migraines

A new treatment that stimulates the occipital nerve may bring relief to some migraine sufferers. According to a press release, the treatment may provide relief when other types of treatments fail.

The Treatment

The treatment involves implanting a device in the body that delivers a small electrical current to the occipital nerves. The device is rather like a pacemaker, according to the press release. In fact, it is implanted in the chest, though the device actually stimulates nerves in the skull. They can be programmed by the doctor.

The implantation process is surprisingly easy. The initial process involves installing temporary leads in the patient to make certain that the device actually works for them. After the device has been proven to work for the patient, permanent leads are installed. Even though migraine headaches are generally thought of as the types of things that you take a couple of strong aspirin for and go lay down in a dark room, they are genuine disabilities for some of the people who suffer them. In the press release, it's noted that some individuals actually suffer migraine headaches 15 days of each month on average. If you've never had one of these types of headaches, understand that they are genuinely disabling. It is impossible to drive, concentrate, work on the computer or do much of anything else while you are afflicted with them.

Sometimes Medications Fail

In many patients, medications provide effective relief from migraine headaches. This is not always the case, however. Some patients end up not responding very well to drug treatment or, in other cases, the side effects of the drug treatment may be distracting or disruptive enough that the patient no longer wants to continue with it. Keep in mind that the pain of a migraine headache is excruciating, so the side effects of these drugs are sometimes so severe that patients actually prefer to deal with the migraine.

Some people with chronic conditions such as migraine headaches end up qualifying for disability payments from the government. If you believe that you do qualify for these payments but have been declined by the Social Security Administration, make certain to contact an attorney with experience working on these cases. They will be able to help you navigate the Social Security Administration, to appeal your claim and, hopefully, to get you the disability payments that you need to get by due to suffering from a condition that makes it impossible for you to work.