Dr. Ducic - nerve decompression surgery
 

Does anyone have experience with nerve decompression surgery for occipital or frontal nerves for headache relief. I have an apt w Dr. Ducic formerly of Georgetown University.

Have you explored all PT & other less invasive therapies?
Upper cervical chiro?
Trigger point & massage?
Traction?
expert chiropractic?
acupuncture?

Yes. Do you have information to share on this surgery?

No I don't know of the surgery for that, just wanted to make sure other options have been explored...

I've done a few rounds of occipital nerve block injections over the last couple months. They helped with the headaches temporarily, but I might be eligible for an appointment with Dr. Duccic later this summer. Please keep me posted about your experience if you see him. I am holding off on pursuing this route because I am still awaiting a bloodwork test result for Lyme disease and I am currently doing HBOT with moderate success thus far (just started this week).

Thanks and please keep me posted on hbot. Have you had any luck getting insurance to pay for that? Also about how many rounds do you thibk you will do? Thanks.

I'm on HBOT session number 12. I will complete 20 sessions, and then likely do another 20 sessions. It's costing about 180 per session. Haven't had any luck with insurance yet, although I might have a better shot now that I found out that I am positive for Lyme.

nimrod,

Your early success with HBOT is likely placebo effect. Studies show it takes 40 to 80 sessions to start to see a difference after a TBI or mTBI. The best value is for the comatose TBI patient.

Well, when I spoke on the phone with Dr. Paul Harch, who is one of the leading researchers in the world on the use of HBOT for concussions, he said it's normal for most people to know after the first few sessions whether HBOT is going to help them. If you do a google search on him, you'll see that Harch has written a book on HBOT and is receiving a government grant to study and use HBOT to treat combat veterans. Dr. Harch said that people normally pursue about 25-40 sessions over the course of a treatment, but that every person is different and the whole process should be overseen by a doctor and constantly monitored to find the right ATM pressure for the chamber.

Ultimately, I decided not to go down to New Orleans to do HBOT with Dr. Harch because I found out that I have Lyme disease and could be treated locally by a Lyme specialist. Thus, my experience should be discounted from a concussion standpoint, as I am 100% convinced that my primary health problem is Lyme disease.

There is actually more research out there showing that HBOT is beneficial for Lyme treatment than for PCS, but I won't go into that now because this is a concussion forum, and I am headed off to HBOT! If anyone has questions about HBOT generally, I am happy to answer later.