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Migraine Nerve Block

Headache & Migraine Treatment

At Rockport Physical Medicine, PA, we know that excruciating pain takes many forms, but it always stops your life in its tracks. If your pain is caused by migraines or chronic, severe headaches you deserve to get back on track with fast, effective relief. We provide a variety of pain management and rehabilitation services, including migraine nerve block care.

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Treating Symptoms of Migraine Headaches 

Migraines and severe headaches are serious conditions, not minor aggravations. They may prevent you from working, studying, spending time with family and friends, or even getting out of bed. Because the symptoms are so debilitating, it's hard to mistake a migraine headache for anything else. Some telltale symptoms of migraine headaches include:

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  • Stabbing, localized pains

  • Throbbing, pulsing, or pounding pains

  • Loss of appetite

  • Distorted sense of taste and smell

  • Extreme light and noise sensitivity

  • Visual and auditory hallucinations

  • Nausea and vomiting

  • Dizziness

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Once you've experienced the pain of a migraine or chronic, severe headache, you know the signs and dread the onset of another headache. You've probably tried sprays, over-the-counter medications, prescriptions, dietary changes, and other short-term solutions that don't erase your headache completely. You may have even considered invasive treatment options. Instead, consider a migraine nerve block.

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How the Migraine Nerve Block Works

Migraine nerve block is a revolutionary way to treat migraine pain. Also called a sphenopalatine ganglion (SPG) block, this treatment involves a direct injection of anesthesia into your nerves. We usually ask patients to lie on their backs for the treatment, and while the nerve block works on any nerve in your head, the nasal cavity is a common injection site. 

Benefits of the SPG block include:

  • Performed with FDA-approved catheter devices (Allevio™, Tx360®, Sphenocath®)

  • Offers a non-invasive, non-surgical treatment option for severe headaches

  • Is covered by many major health insurance companies (contact your insurance provider for details about your specific policy)

  • Only takes about 30 minutes (as your bone and nerves absorb the anesthesia)

  • Involves very little risk of allergic reaction or infection

  • Minimal side effects include a bitter taste, light-headedness, and slight discomfort during the procedure

Your brain is your most important organ, and we don't want you to risk invasive surgical options when there's a much simpler, safer solution.

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Treating Migraines with Botulinum Toxin Type A Therapy

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Botulinum toxin injection therapy is a prescription medical treatment used for the prevention of chronic migraine headaches in adults.

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It is FDA-approved for individuals 18 years and older who experience chronic migraine, defined as 15 or more headache days per month, with headaches lasting 4 hours or longer on those days.

This treatment is not approved for episodic migraine, which is defined as fewer than 15 headache days per month.

 

Treatment Schedule

Botulinum toxin therapy for chronic migraine is typically administered every 12 weeks, following an initial treatment plan determined by a licensed healthcare provider. The exact number and timing of treatments may vary based on individual medical needs.

 

Important Information

  • This is a medical treatment, not a cosmetic procedure

  • Eligibility is determined by a licensed provider

  • Results may vary from patient to patient

  • Ongoing treatment may be recommended to maintain therapeutic benefit

 

Botulinum toxin therapy is FDA-approved for chronic migraine prevention in qualifying patients. Treatment outcomes vary, and individual results are not guaranteed.

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Treating Other Conditions with Migraine Nerve Blocks

The results and safety statistics speak for themselves, but the benefits aren't limited to migraines. We also use SPG blocks to treat pain associated with:

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  • Contact point headaches

  • Cluster headaches

  • Complex regional pain syndrome (CPRS)

  • Temporomandibular joint disorders (TMJ)

  • Paroxysmal hemicrania (CPH) or Sjaastad Syndrome

  • Herpes zoster (shingles)

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We take pain very seriously at our pain management office. Our Team is trained to provide the SPG block and BOTOX treatments to patients with migraines and other painful, chronic conditions. Schedule your appointment today!

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