Florida Migraine Center

Serving Patients in Jacksonville, Florida

Live Life to the Fullest...

"If you are one of the 30 million Americans diagnosed with migraine headaches and have not found symptomatic relief, we may have an outpatient solution to treat the nerves causing your pain."
– Dr. Fallucco

Dr. Fallucco offers new hope for treating migraine headache pain. Headache pain sufferers and their loved ones are all too familiar with the lost social activities and decreased productivity at work and home that occurs during an attack. Until recently, common migraine treatment options have included taking life-long medications or undergoing a combination of expensive therapies, such as acupuncture or massage, aimed at preventing or stopping a headache. Unfortunately, in spite of these treatment advances, many still suffer from migraines.

In some patients, Dr. Fallucco can identify a peripheral trigger site(s) as the source of your migraine headache pain. A peripheral trigger site is a consistent region on the head & neck where the headache pain is first noticed. For example, "I always rub my temples when I know I am getting a headache." When a frontal, temporal, occipital or nasal peripheral trigger site is identified, migraine surgery is more than 90% effective at reducing the frequency, intensity and duration of future attacks. Certain patients may experience complete elimination of migraines after our outpatient procedure.

Peripheral Trigger Site(s)

• Frontal
• Temporal
• Occipital
• Nasal

 

FAQ: About the process

 

Q: I have been diagnosed with migraines, what is the next step?

A: The first step in our comprehensive treatment of migraine or chronic daily headache pain, is to work with your neurologist or primary care physician to establish your headache diagnosis. They will help you determine what type of headache you suffer from based on standard guidelines from the International Headache Society. Not all headache disorders are similar and therefore not all sufferers are candidates for surgery. -Dr. Michael Fallucco

Q: Do I need to complete any paperwork prior to the initial consultation?

A: Once you have scheduled your consultation you will complete our migraine headache questionnaire. We also ask that you obtain your records from your neurologist or primary care physician outlining previous treatment or diagnostic studies relevant to your headaches. This information allows us to locate the nerves causing your pain. –Dr. Michael Fallucco

Q: What is done at the initial consultation?

A: We will review your history with you, perform a physical examination, and answer all your questions and concerns. We will identify if a peripheral trigger site(s) is causing your migraine headache pain using a diagnostic injection of local anesthetic or BOTOX®. This is similar to a dental block using the smallest needle possible. In some patients this temporary relief is the first time in years that they have been headache pain free. –Dr. Michael Fallucco

Q: I am a surgical candidate, how is migraine surgery performed?

A: Surgery is performed under general anesthesia with the supervision of a board certified anesthesiologist. -Dr. Michael Fallucco

A: For most patients, surgery is performed on an outpatient basis (you go home the same day). Depending on the number of peripheral trigger sites treated, surgery takes 1 to 3 hours to perform. The incisions are typically hidden once they are fully healed as they are performed in a similar fashion to standard cosmetic facial procedures. -Dr. Michael Fallucco

A: The surgical procedure involves “decompression” of superficial nerves in the head and neck to relieve chronic nerve compression that is causing headache pain (this does NOT involve any work below the skull on the brain itself). Nerve decompression is best illustrated in carpal tunnel surgery in which the nerve is NOT cut, rather the tissue causing compression on the damaged nerve is released allowing the nerve to become healthy again. –Dr. Michael Fallucco

Q: What should I expect during my migraine surgery recovery?

A: Following surgery until the first visit (usually 7 days) we encourage patients to relax, and not perform any strenuous activity. After the initial follow up visit, activity is gradually increased, and most patients are back to work and normal activity within 1 to 2 weeks. You are not able to drive or operate heavy machinery while taking any post-operative narcotic pain medication. – Dr. Michael Fallucco

• Swelling and bruising are expected and can be more pronounced around the eyes if a frontal trigger site surgery was performed.
• All sutures, except those used for frontal trigger sites involving the eyelids, are dissolvable and do not require removal.
• As migraine surgery addresses the already irritated nerves in the head and neck, some patients may experience increased frequency and duration of migraine headache pain, or areas of the scalp and forehead that become hypersensitive and should decrease as your postoperative swelling decreases.