What is the truth about migraine surgery?

In Spain alone there are about 1.5 million people are diagnosed with migraine. It is estimated that around the world some 800 million. A huge number of people experience these headaches, which are sometimes disabling and for which, unfortunately, there is no definitive cure. There are treatments that are very effective in some cases, but many patients stable most of them, so they desperately search for a way to alleviate their suffering. With this despair like demandIn recent years, all sorts of alternative treatments have emerged, such as migraine surgeryadvertised by some clinics plastic surgery. Why do these clinics advertise this, and not the neurologists who are actually professionals in these matters?

According to a statement recently published by the publication The Spanish Society of Neurology (SEN) does not do this because there is no reason for it. In this report, they warn that there is no scientific evidence to support the use of surgery for migraines. In fact it is not approved no regulatory body World. This is why neurologists don’t do it, mainly because they can’t.

Promoting it as a treatment plastic surgeryMigraine surgery professionals are clinging to a legal loophole. For this reason, SEN warns that people with this condition should not be attracted to these advertisements. It is important to consult a neurologist who can explain to you what treatments are available and which ones are most recommended for your case. Usually it starts little by little. If the simplest treatment methods do not help, they move on to more complex ones. But it doesn’t come to the point of surgery.

What does migraine treatment consist of?

Migraine surgery involves making a series of incisions through which trigger points. These are the points where the pain begins. For example, there are people who report that it starts above the eyes, on the neck, or on the sides of the nose.

This is due to nerve compression, which is revealed using Botox when performing this technique. He botox It is actually a toxin derived from bacteria. Clostridium botulinum, which blocks some nerve signals, preventing muscle contraction. That is why it is used in cosmetic surgery to eliminate facial wrinkles. If the facial muscles do not contract, wrinkles will not appear. It should be noted that this is a dangerous toxin because just as it can paralyze the muscles of the face, it can also paralyze those that make the heart beat. This is why it is important to control doses very well and monitor patients properly.

In case of migraine it is used as a treatment. in serious cases, in which other therapeutic options do not work, but we will see this later. Returning to migraine surgery, Botox determines which nerve is affected. If its signals are blocked and the effects are checked, you can check which one acts as a trigger. After discovery, incision and decompression of the nerve.

This seems somewhat effective at first. After all, there is an explanation. However, since SEN Headache Study Group and International Headache SocietyWe caution that there is no scientific evidence that these types of interventions actually work.

Additionally, we should never resort to migraine treatments that are not provided by neurologists. So what is this treatment?

New therapeutic options

If traditional pharmacological methods do not work, neurologists may turn to other treatments newest.

For example, antibody treatment has been used since 2019. We know that antibodies are proteins that bind to a foreign agent and mark it for attack by the immune system. Additionally, when they bind to a protein, they can block its function so that it does not continue to cause harm.

This occurs naturally, but selecting antibodies against specific disease-associated proteins could have very interesting therapeutic value. For migraines, antibodies are used that block the action CGRP proteinparticipates in the process of vasodilation and migraine pain.

A similar effect is produced trousers. These are molecules antagonists CGRP protein. In order for a protein to perform its function in cells, it must initially bind to receptors located on their surface. This union is very specific, like the union of a key in a lock. However, antagonists can bind to the same receptors, blocking their function. If the lock is already occupied, the key cannot enter. Hepants block the action of the CGRP protein, so pain and vasodilation are also minimized.

In the case of Botox, we have already seen what it can do many side effects, making it one of the last resources neurologists turn to. Moreover, not everyone agrees with this treatment, which functions the same as the initial surgical treatment for migraines. The nerves that transmit headaches are blocked.

In short, there is Lots of options for people with migraines. None of them permanently cure it, but you may find ones that improve your quality of life. The point is to talk to professionals who specialize in this field, not plastic surgery. Desperation may make us more susceptible to advertising, but we should listen to the neuroscientists.