Chronic Migraine Relief
Everyone will experience a headache at some point in their life. For those who suffer from chronic headaches, however, the pain can be debilitating. For a headache to be considered chronic, daily headaches must occur 15 or more days per month for more than three months. For Elizabeth Arant, the pain was constant and had a debilitating impact on her life. “I’ve had migraines since I was about seven years old,” Ms. Arant says. “Even as a small child, I would miss school because of the migraines, or from being sick because of the migraines. As an adult, I was worried about work. I would have to excuse myself multiple times a day because I was ill from the constant migraine pain.” In the beginning, Ms. Arant was treated conservatively with over-the-counter medications, and then eventually, prescription migraine pills and injections. “I tried all of the migraine medications on the market, and they’d work for a little while, but then they wouldn’t be effective any more. After about ten years, I had tried every migraine medication available.” When the medications became ineffective, Ms. Arant utilized other modalities. “I tried acupuncture, chiropractic, massage therapy, physical therapy – you name it, I tried it,” she says. “These treatments would work for a little while, but then the pain would come back.” A diagnostic procedure known as a medial branch block can also be initially tried to see if any relief is achieved. If successful, relief is rapid, and the individual should be able to return to their normal daily activities. While a medial branch block is not intended to cause long-lasting relief, should temporary relief occur from the block, a more permanent procedure called radiofrequency ablation may be recommended by a pain physician. Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) uses a specialized device to disrupt the nerve that sends pain signals to the brain. By causing nerve destruction through heat, RFA disrupts the perception of pain, effectively causing a decrease in chronic headache pain. More specifically, the sphenopalatine ganglion is a bundle of nerves in the face and head region, and studies have shown success regarding blocks or ablations of those specific nerves. Ms. Arant tried nerve blocks which, again, helped temporarily, but she was quickly beginning to feel like there was no hope. In Ms. Arant’s case, since conservative treatment was providing only temporary relief, her neurologist referred her to Arizona Pain Specialists, where he said a new treatment may be available to her. If conservative treatment such as medication, chiropractic care or non-invasive procedures offer no relief, a device called Occipital Nerve Stimulation (ONS) may prove effective for chronic headache patients. A new use of established technology, ONS works much like a Spinal Cord Stimulator (SCS), commonly known as a “pacemaker for pain”. By utilizing low-level electrical impulses, the ONS replaces pain with a tingling sensation and blocks pain perception from the nerve to the brain. “Within a few days, I was at Arizona Pain Specialists and was being educated by the nurse practitioner and doctor regarding ONS. At that point, I was willing to try anything,” Ms. Arant explains. “I trusted Arizona Pain Specialists right away and felt like I really had to try this. Every day, I basically went to work, came home and lay down in a darkened room with ice on my head until I fell asleep. I couldn’t make plans for the future; my quality of life was deteriorating.” Ms. Arant had the trial stimulator placed, and was surprised at the results. “In the recovery area at Arizona Pain Specialists, I just kept telling everyone that this was the first time in years that I didn’t have a migraine. It was amazing. I was able to read a book, watch TV, and start to get my life back. I knew I wanted to have the permanent device; I wanted to keep living without a constant migraine.” After the initial trial period, Ms. Arant was scheduled to have a permanent ONS implanted. “It did take time to get the settings adjusted,” Ms. Arant says. “But after the settings were adjusted for me, I haven’t had a migraine since. Instead, I have a tingling feeling that is actually pleasant, and not painful at all.” One word of advice Ms. Arant offers to anyone who suffers from chronic migraines is this: “If you’ve tried everything else and it’s failed, and your pain doctor is recommending ONS, give it a try.” The best part is that Ms. Arant is able to do things she hasn’t been able to do in years. “Now that I have ONS, my life has completely changed. I’m able to travel, make plans, and I’m reading like a maniac. I’m even planning on going to grad school to become a nurse practitioner in neurology to help others that are in constant pain just like I was.” Back to Arizona Pain Monthly
