Time

The initial consultation appointment takes approximately 1 hour.
Meet with Dr. Austad, who will review the history of your problem and examine you. Treatment options and recommendations for your migraine problem will be offered, and one or more nerve blocks (Botox injection or steroid) may be performed if you wish to proceed.

Second and Subsequent Visits:
Review initial consultation results; proceed as indicated. Blocks (Botox injection or Steroids) may be repeated at intervals of 6 weeks (Steroids), or 2-3 months (Botox), depending on results of the first block(s).

The day of your surgery
Arrive at our center 30-45 minutes prior to your scheduled surgery. Surgery will take 1-1/2 – 3-1/2 hours, depending on the specific procedures performed.

Spend about 2 hours in recovery room. - Discharged home or stay in a guest facility. You must have someone drive you home and stay with you the first 24 hours. We can arrange aftercare for you if needed.

Anesthesia for Migraine Surgery

Most procedures are performed with general anesthesia, meaning that you are fully asleep. However, if your preference is to be awake but sedated or if you have other health issues our board-certified anesthesiologists are very proficient with alternatives.

Recovery Time After Migraine Surgery

Recovery from headache surgery varies from individual to individual, but usually sutures are removed in 5-7 days. You may shower and wash hair the evening of your surgery and thereafter, though more extensive hair treatments such as permanents and hair tinting should be deferred for 4-6 weeks if your procedure involves incisions behind the hairlines . Pain medication is usually necessary for the first 3-5 days, due to incisional pain. We will discuss all of your other medications with you preoperatively; typically, you will continue to take all of these for at least a few weeks after your headache surgery.

Specific Headache Surgical Issues:

Brow: Swelling and bruising may persist for 2-4 weeks; makeup OK after 3-5 days. Incisions will be somewhat apparent to close inspection (without makeup) for at least 4-6 months

Skull Base (Occipital Nerve) headache surgery: Incisions are usually hidden by hair. Some drainage occurs from incision(s) for first 24-36 hours. Hats, work-related headgear may be uncomfortable for first 2-4 months.

You may return to regular lifestyle within 5-10 days. Moderate exercise resumes within 1-2 weeks

What Will The Result Be after Headache Surgery?

The surgical goal of this headache surgery is to permanently eliminate head pain by eliminating chronic irritation of small sensory nerves of the face and/or scalp. At best, this headache surgery will accomplish permanent relief to the same extent that the blocks have provided on a more-temporary basis. Even when patients do not experience complete headache relief. they usually find that their pain is significantly improved, and approximately 80% view their headache surgery as very helpful. You should understand, however, that these procedures are based on a new approach to head pain, and that no one has had a "lifetime" of experience after this headache surgery. Many patients have expressed to us that even 6-12 months of pain relief would be a worth while surgical result. We, and you, must enter into this relationship with optimism and the hope of a permanent solution, but also with the understanding that the procedure may simply not be as beneficial as we anticipate. We give you our guarantee that we will provide you with the best surgical care possible, but we cannot guarantee you permanent relief of your head pain.

For More Information:

If you want to know more about Headache Surgery, Migraine Surgery, Botox and Headache or Botox, generally you can contact Dr Austad’s offices in Encinitas, California (near San Diego), or search the web for: migraine surgery, headache surgery, Botox, Botox headache, migraine surgery San Diego, San Diego migraine surgery, Botox, Botox San Diego, San Diego Botox, Botox for headache San Diego, San Diego Botox for headache, headache surgery migraine headache surgery San Diego, San Diego migraine headache surgery, Botox for migraine headache San Diego, San Diego Botox for migraine headache, surgery for headache San Diego, San Diego surgery for headache, migraine plastic surgery San Diego, San Diego migraine plastic surgery, headache after surgery San Diego, San Diego headache after surgery, headache migraine plastic surgery San Diego, San Diego headache migraine plastic surgery, Botox treatment San Diego, San Diego Botox treatment, Botox headache treatment San Diego, San Diego Botox headache treatment, California cure in migraine, cluster headache surgery San Diego, San Diego cluster headache surgery, Botox injection for headache San Diego, Botox injection for headache San Diego, migraine new surgery San Diego, San Diego migraine new surgery, Botox and headache San Diego, San Diego Botox and headache, Botox headache San Diego, San Diego Botox headache, Botox for migraine headaches San Diego, San Diego Botox for migraine headaches, Botox headaches San Diego, San Diego Botox headaches, Botox and migraine San Diego, San Diego Botox and migraine, migraine Botox San Diego, San Diego migraine Botox, migraine headaches San Diego, San Diego migraine headaches, migraine clinic San Diego, San Diego migraine clinic, California head pain San Diego, San Diego California head pain, California headache, California migraine, Dr Austad, Eric Austad, head pain Botox San Diego, San Diego head pain Botox, San Diego head pain, San Diego headache, San Diego migraine