Interventional procedures may provide an option for patients with episodic migraine in cases where oral medications may be contraindicated because of comorbidities or because they don’t provide sufficient relief.

Many of these treatments do not have adequate studies to support their use, particularly to the degree that regulatory bodies and insurers would permit. There are some encouraging results that might be applicable to clinical practice and result in future research projects, according to a review of existing literature by Brian M. Plato, D.O., and Mandy J. Whitt, M.D., headache specialists with Norton Neuroscience Institute.

Their review, recently published in Current Pain and Headache Reports, covers the following treatments:

• Peripheral nerve blocks
• Greater occipital nerve block
• Lesser occipital nerve block
• Auriculotemporal nerve block
• Block of the supraorbital and supratrochlear nerves
• Sphenopalatine ganglion block
• Trigger point injections
• OnabotulinumtoxinA