A majority chronic migraine sufferers make the error of spending a great deal of time visiting neurologists when they ought to be going to pain management treatments. A pain management expert claims that radiofrequency ablation therapy has graded procedures and is employed in cases of unbearable pain for long-term relief.
What is Migraine?
Recurrent headaches that may vary in intensity from mild to severe are the hallmark of the neurological condition known as migraine. Typically pulsing or throbbing in character, migraine headaches may be accompanied by other signs and symptoms like hypersensitivity to light and sound, feeling nauseated, as well as vomiting.
Alteration in the brain plus the blood vessels that surround it are believed to be the origin of migraines. Both environmental and genetic variables are known to be involved, though the precise source of these alterations is not entirely understood.
The struggles of Prabhjot Nirula
Prabhjot Nirula, 46, has never been able to pinpoint the exact origin of her migraines during adulthood. But she endured the pain for 20 years. One of the problems with migraines is that one can never be certain of the trigger. The monster in her head, however, kept Prabhjot confined to her bed for a large portion of her early life, pushing her farther into the depths of her own trauma. These episodes extended in length, at times lasting as long as 20 days. The painkillers weren’t going to work. In reality, She was unable to leave her home for three consecutive days at a time.
Prabhjot has started to embrace her life the way it was supposed to be three years after undergoing radiofrequency ablation therapy, which employs radio waves in order to numb nerves and prevent them from delivering pain signals to the brain. She has been looking forward to a holiday in Malaysia together with her young daughter, solely the two of them, since she has not been able to give her time while struggling with migraine.
Prabhjot, who was a young mother at the time of her divorce, says it took her five years to recover and find work in marketing. She even rose to the position of division director with the support of her father. She was dependent on her father, so when he passed away, she felt lonely. The migraine attacks started right then.
She stated that after being diagnosed, she would take the medication as directed, but if her symptoms did not get better, she would see a different doctor. As the episodes grew more severe over time, she saw numerous doctors in the hopes that one of them could pinpoint her trigger and provide a permanent cure, but all she received was symptomatic relief.
Prabhjot visited neurologists and psychiatrists, underwent CT and MRI scans, but nothing out of the ordinary was found. So she kept having the feeling that her head was about to burst. She pushed her family, especially her daughter, during the times when she wanted to die rather than endure the stinging pain. She required intravenous painkillers, which had such a negative impact on her digestive system that she even detested both the smell and sight of food.
She made the common error of seeking out neurologists for pain treatment. Most migraine sufferers continue to go undiagnosed and mistreated because of this. As a side effect, taking painkillers excessively or frequently might cause severe headaches.
She later met Dr. Loomba, who initially tried a nerve-blocking technique in which he injected a combination of local anaesthetic and a steroid around particular nerves in the head and face to prevent them from transmitting impulses to the brain. This provided comfort for a while. In 2019 when her migraines returned, Dr. Loomba underwent radiofrequency ablation.
Prabhjot pointed to her sore spots as she lay conscious under an intravenous anaesthetic numbing her face and neck. Using X-ray imaging as his guide, Dr. Loomba slid a small probe needle from the jaw to the temple and skull. The needle burns the pain-producing nerve cells with a radiofrequency current. Prabhjot’s treatment proved to be successful as she hasn’t experienced a recurrence episode in three years. She doesn’t take any medications nowadays, exercises frequently, follows a diet, and gets enough sleep.
