Video FAQs

The Reed Procedure ® : A Permanent Surgical Migraine Treatment

Below are a series of video FAQs in which Dr. Reed, founder and inventor of the Reed Procedure ® and the 4-Lead Procedure, answers many questions regarding migraine treatment done at Reed Migraine Centers. If you have other questions, please contact a patient coordinator directly at 972-922-1692 or 972-707-2800.

What is an implantable neurostimulator and how does it work?

“An implantable neurostimulator is an implantable unit that goes under the skin–in this case for the control of pain, particularly for migraine headaches. People can think of this as an analogy for the pacemaker of the heart in which a little battery is placed under the skin.”

Am I a good candidate?

“People who are candidates for this suffer from severe headaches and have been through other courses of treatment they are not responding to or they are not responding well to high doses of medication.”

Why is the trial done?

“This period of test stimulation shows the patient exactly what a permanent stimulator feels like.”

What happens during the trial?

“With a test stimulator, we actually implant a temporary unit, which looks like an IV tube going under the skin. We leave it in for three days and the patient sees if it stops the pain.”

How is the migraine procedure done?

“The difference between the test and permanent stimulator is the permanent stimulator has the battery under the skin and the test has it on top.”

Will it cause physical limitations?

“When it is successful and stops their headaches, they are overjoyed for a lot of different reasons. The most important is the headache is gone.”

What are the risks or downsides?

“When it is successful and stops their headaches, they are overjoyed for a lot of different reasons. The most important is the headache is gone.”

How can I learn more?

“We treat a lot of different diagnostic categories, and I want to emphasize that a patient shouldn’t worry so much about whether their diagnosis works or not; they all do. In particular, we are looking for patients with severe headaches, whether it is severe tension headaches or migraines. This can work any of them.”

What is a Patient Ambassador?

“If patients want more information about the procedure, maybe the best way is the patient ambassador program. It’s always valuable for a potential patient to speak to another patient.”

Can I hear about it from a patient?

“It’s one thing to talk to the doctor about the procedure, but it’s another thing to actually sit down and talk to a patient that has this implant.”