My Experience in Getting a Migraine Surgery
It’s just a headache. How bad could it be, It’ll go away’- Little did they know, these words just added to my pain and frustration.
I suffered from severe migraines for 2 years and by telling this story, I hope to not only reach out to people suffering from this problem but all make their loved one and the people around them truly understand the seriousness of this condition.
For those of you who do not know what a migraine is, to cut in short, a migraine is a form of a headache but only ten times worse. It is recurring and commonly occurs on one side of the head and causes pain and discomfort. It ranges from mild to severe.
Unfortunately, I suffered from the most severe form of migraine which was often accompanied by nausea and vomiting. Some days it used to get so intense that the pain restricted me from performing my day to day activities and had a crippling effect on my social and professional life.
There different types of migraines and they can usually be triggered by a number of factors like dust, bright lights, loud noises, lack of sleep, stress, hunger, dehydration, and food products like caffeine and alcohol.
In my case, stress, loud noises, and extremely bright light were like the perfect and effective trigger that acted as an instant switch on the button for my migraines. Although it seems like it was not much and highly avoidable, that was not the case at all.
I used to think a hundred times before making a decision to attend a wedding, restaurants with loud music, concerts, social gatherings, or any such places I was exposed to my triggers. I had a constant thought in my head wondering if I would make it through the day, if I had carried my medications, etc.
Ironically, almost everything part of my life had at least one of these triggers and the more I thought about it, the more stress it gave me which was also just another trigger itself. It felt like a perfect sadistic mechanism nature or fate had designed for me.
Image credit: Pxfuel
My Decision to Have Surgery…
Over time, I grew tired and frustrated about my condition and consulted my doctor in the hopes of obtaining a more permanent solution. This was when he suggested nerve decompression surgery for migraines and neuroplasty.
Surgical decompression for migraines is one where the surgeon will physically try to decompress the nerves and reduce the sensation of pain. There are nerves that are compressed by bands, muscles, and blood vessels which could apply pressure and cause pain as such nerves are highly sensitive.
This surgery explores the nerves and finds areas of compression which will help relieve a lot of pain by alleviating the physical pressure.
After a few consultations with several professionals and with the support of my loved ones, I was convinced of this surgery which was soon set for 3 weeks later.
Image credit: Pxfuuel
After My Surgery……
After my surgery, I was kept for 4 days in the hospital for observation and even for the recovery period, I felt no pain.
The surgery felt like real miracle magic disguised in the form of modern medicine. Ever since the surgery, I have felt no migraine pains, no headaches, and was completely pain-free.
In fact, I felt more energetic and was able to resume my daily activities instantly. I was now able to go out without this constant nagging worry of pain or the pain itself or even the worry of pain that turned to pain.
I no longer had to restrict my time on my computer and compromise my work or have the noise-canceling headphones glued to my ears. I truly feel like I have been living my best life and up to my full potential after the surgery.
However, I do recognize that not all surgeries have such a high success rate and not everyone comes out of it pain-free or some may not have such an option. I can empathize with such situations but truly believe that if you have faith and trust the process, it will get better. After all, it takes great strength to bear the pain that comes from migraine headaches, and don’t let the inexperienced trick you into thinking otherwise.