Dr Nicola Giffin, neurologist at Royal United Hospital in Bath, UK, is pioneering using nerve-block injections for relieving migraines. The procedure is fairly uninvasive since the injection has to be made just under the skin. In interview to Daily Mail she said -
"The injection consists of depomedrone, a steroid, and lignocaine, a local anaesthetic - a standard mix to reduce inflammation. We use a relatively small needle, around 2cm long, and the injection is given just under the skin, directly into the nerve."
It takes a couple of days for the procedure to take. It does seem to greatly reduce the frequency of the migraine attacks. Christine Prince, migraine patient interviewed for the same article mentioned the decrease from almost daily headaches to only two a month.
The effect lasts for approximately three month after which the injection has to be repeated.
Before you rush to get yourself one of these nerve-blocks, make sure you read the "Side Effects of Nerve Blocks" from webmd.com:
- Elevated blood sugars
- Rash
- Itching
- Weight gain
- Extra energy
- Soreness at the site of injection
- Bleeding
- Death (in rare cases)
While some itching most of us can stand, death is a little more inconvenient. In practice, however, numbness around the injected area and some dizziness is the most one should worry during and shortly the procedure, according to Dr Giffin.
update: Reducing migraine frequency with nerve-block injections - patient's experience posted on March 7, 2008
link: The agony of migraine cured in an instant - by a simple jab in the neck
link: Pain Management: Nerve Blocks
Read more about it:
0 comments:
Post a Comment