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July 17, 2024 | Headache Surgery

If I’m a Candidate, How Is Surgery Performed & What Are the Outcomes?

Surgical intervention (whether decompression or neurectomy/muscle implantation) for chronic headaches is performed as an outpatient procedure at an accredited surgery center or in the outpatient department of the California Pacific Medical Center. The procedures can last anywhere from 1 hour to 3 hours, depending on the number and locations of the nerves being treated and […]

July 15, 2024 | Migraine/Headache, Nerve Pain

Is Permanent Relief From Chronic Headaches Possible? YES!

Migraine headaches have traditionally been thought to arise from within the central nervous system (i.e. the brain and/or spinal cord) and then produce symptoms elsewhere such as throbbing in the back of the head, forehead or temples. There are many theories as to what exactly within the central nervous system causes these chronic and often debilitating […]

July 14, 2024 | Occipital Neuralgia

Whiplash & Occipital Neuralgia: What’s the Connection?

I am asked routinely about the relationship between whiplash and occipital neuralgia. First of all, what is whiplash? Simply put, it is a sudden jerking of the head, usually in a backward/forward direction or sometimes side to side. Common causes of whiplash include motor vehicle accidents, sports related injuries, and any other violent motions such […]

July 13, 2024 | Headache Surgery, Nerve Pain

Why Use Nerve Blocks?

Nerve blocks are very powerful tools in helping to determine whether or not a particular person is a good surgical candidate. Nerve blocks are simply injections of local anesthetic which will last several hours depending on the type of local anesthetic used. Every once in a while, these blocks will last a shorter period of […]

July 12, 2024 | Migraine/Headache, Nerve Pain

Transforming Headache Care

Chronic headaches such as migraines remain a huge burden on the American healthcare system accounting for tens of billions of dollars in both direct and indirect costs annually. What’s more, these financial considerations don’t take into account the psychological and emotional toll inflicted on those who suffer from this type of chronic pain. A study […]

July 11, 2024 | Migraine/Headache, Nerve Pain

What is a Migraine?

Many people consider a migraine to be a really bad headache. The truth is, it is a severe, neurologic condition. However, when perusing the medical literature, it becomes apparent that the term ‘migraine’ in many practical instances, is actually a name that we have given to a constellation of symptoms as opposed to a specific […]

July 10, 2024 | Nerve Pain

Neuroplasticity and Central Sensitization

In this post, we discuss two important terms, ‘neuroplasticity’ and ‘central sensitization’. Neuroplasticity refers to the amazing ability of the brain to change and adapt in response to interactions of a person with his/her environment. Implicit in this explanation is that there are actual physiological changes that occur between neurons (i.e. nerve cells) within the […]

July 09, 2024 | Headache Surgery, Migraine/Headache, Nerve Pain

What are Nerve Blocks?

The term ‘nerve block’ refers specifically to an injection of local anesthetic that is aimed at inactivating a nerve. These blocks typically work by chemically and temporarily disabling a nerve’s capability to conduct an impulse. The result can be numbness in the case of a sensory nerve (i.e. a nerve that provides sensation to a […]

July 08, 2024 | Migraine/Headache, Nerve Pain

How Was This Concept Discovered & Where Are These Nerves Located?

Believe it or not, the idea of a peripheral nerve causing your headache dates back as far as 1000 A.D. when one of the founding fathers of surgery (Al-Zahrawi) first treated migraines using cauterization. More recently, that is to say about 20 years ago, the idea that sources outside the central nervous system (i.e. brain […]

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Dr. Peled is active in several online nerve pain communities, particularly those focused on specific conditions, such as occipital neuralgia. He shares general advice, answers questions, and provides support for those seeking clarity about their condition.

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