Study shows hope for migraine sufferes

CLEVELAND, Dec. 30 (UPI) -- There's hope for millions of Americans suffering from migraine headaches and their employers who suffer a different way, a new study says.

It's estimated more than 28 million in the United States are struck by the debilitating ailment each year. Employers, meanwhile, must cope with missed days from work and reduced productivity.

However, migraine sufferers who had surgical treatment reduced the amount of time missed from work by 73 percent, according to a study in the January issue of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, the official medical journal of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons.

Additionally, surgical treatment substantially lowered the annual cost of migraine care for patients, the study found.

"By identifying the trigger areas for migraines and performing targeted surgical procedures, we significantly reduced or eliminated their migraines and the amount of time missed from work," said Dr. Bahman Guyuron, clinical professor of plastic surgery, Case Western Reserve University and the study author.