New studies show that cosmetic eyelid surgery may alleviate migraine symptoms
Recent studies show that cosmetic eyelid surgery may do more than just improve your looks and your confidence- it may also provide relief from migraines. The new technique being used to provide migraine relief involves making incisions in the upper eyelid and deactivating certain nerves that trigger migraines, all while lifting the lid. The technique has not yet been proven, and some don’t beli
eve that the entrapped nerves that are released during the surgery actually do cause migraines, but many patients have seen results.
When the eyelids are drooping, one must constantly use their forehead muscles to lift the lids so that they can see, and this can cause strain and constant headaches. During eyelid surgery, the eyelids are lifted and the extra skin is removed which eliminates the need to use forehead muscles. This can significantly reduce headaches and eye strain on top of the added cosmetic benefits.
According to the Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center that has been studying this method, “90% of the patients who underwent this surgery to decompress the nerves that trigger migraines experienced relief and also got a bonus cosmetic eyelid surgery.” Migraine headaches were completely eliminated in 51.3% of patients, with about 1/5 experiencing an 80% reduction of symptoms, and nearly 1/3 of patients had between 50% and 80% of migraine symptoms resolved.
Recent studies have also shown that headache burdens are highest in females ages 18-44, and many of the patients who consider eyelid surgery for cosmetic reasons are also women ages 18-44. As research progresses and we learn more about this technique and its impact on migraines, this adverse effect of eyelid surgery could encourage more and more people to opt into surgery for more than just cosmetic reasons.
So what does this mean for you? If you’ve been considering eyelid surgery and also suffer from migraines, you may be in luck. Not everyone suffering from migraines can benefit from this surgery, so it’s important to speak to your doctor about your specific case. To learn more about how cosmetic eyelid surgery may not only ease migraines, but also improve the way you look and feel, contact leading ophthalmologist Dr. Shareen Greenbaum at 954-447-0606 or click here.