Peripheral Nerve Stimulation -- The Reed Procedure®

High Success Rate

The Reed Procedure® peripheral nerve stimulation migraine treatment was developed by Kenneth Reed, M.D. specifically for the treatment of chronic, severe headaches. His technique, involving both occipital and supraorbital nerve stimulation, is documented successful in more than 80 percent of patients suffering from severe migraine headaches.

Trial Stimulator --- The Ability to Test the Procedure Prior to Having It

We have a short, three to seven day, non-invasive test available to determine if the Reed Procedure® will work prior to having the permanent stimulator implanted. We believe this option is unique to our treatment and sets the occipital nerve stimulation and peripheral nerve stimulation, including the Reed Procedure®, apart from other migraine relief options.

Pioneer in the Field

Dr. Reed first began using peripheral neurostimulation for intractable migraines in 1992, and in 1999 he and Weiner published the original paper on occipital nerve stimulation. In 2009 his publication on "Combined Peripheral Neurostimulation" received the "Cephalalgia Award" of the International Headache Society as the best original contribution of the year to the field. Dr. Reed and his partner physicians have performed more than 300 neurostimulation implants for headaches. We know of no physician or institution that has performed more.

What is Occipital Nerve Stimulation and Peripheral Nerve Stimulation?

Often referred to as a "pacemaker for pain", this minimally invasive procedure implants nerve stimulator leads under the skin and adjacent to the areas of pain, delivering mild electrical pulses to the nerves. The electrical pulses replace the feeling of pain with a tingling or massaging sensation, reducing or eliminating the need for pain medication in patients who are candidates for this treatment.

Although the Reed Procedure® is not currently FDA approved, spinal cord stimulation (SCS) uses the exact same technology and was approved by the FDA in 1989 and is now a standard treatment option for patients with chronic pain in their back and/or limbs who have not found pain relief from other treatments. Additionally, neurostimulation for head pain was granted CE Mark approval for use in Europe in September of 2011.