How to Start a Headache/Migraine Surgery Practice

Abstract

Incorporating headache/migraine operative procedures into an existing surgical practice may be challenging at first but can ultimately be very rewarding. There are several key reasons that might motivate physicians to incorporate this treatment specialty into their practice. First, some physicians are lucky enough to have trained at the rare academic center where these operative procedures are routinely taught and have seen the often life-changing results that these patients experience. For many of these physicians, there is a natural tendency to recreate their mentor’s style of practice. Other physicians may have a clinical, intellectual, or technical interest in peripheral nerve surgery from experience in hand surgery, facial nerve reconstruction, or other peripheral nerve procedures. However, the epidemiology of migraines is downright daunting. It is one of only eight disease states known to affect more than 10% of the world’s population and afflicts almost one in five Americans. Therefore, it is likely that many doctors may have friends, family, or personal experience dealing with migraines/chronic headaches and understand first-hand the immense burden these conditions place on patients and their loved ones. For these physicians, a significant motivation may be the simple desire to help ease this suffering. Moreover, some clinicians may have patients from the more than 36 million migraine sufferers in the United States who are impacted physically, socially, and occupationally by this debilitating condition and whom that have expressed to them an interest in surgical treatment for their chronic headaches. Finally, still other physicians may simply want to create a niche for their practice by offering a unique set of surgical procedures to this large and underserved patient population.

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