You don’t think of dentists when you think of migraines, but Dr. Yasser Khaled is the exception.
Chronic migraines affect 3 to 5 % of the American population. Migraines are severe headaches that can cause nausea, sensitivity to light and dizziness that can prevent people from accomplishing everyday tasks. For those who suffer with migraines, Khaled is here to help.
Khaled, assistant professor in the School of Dentistry, has been working on finding ways to relieve chronic headaches for the past three years. He works in the School of Dentistry faculty practice, where Marquette employees can treat patients. He uses trigger point injections, Botox, night-guards and medications to reduce pain for his patients.
During a typical procedure, Khaled injects a dry needle, similarly to the method used in acupuncture, into the patients neck muscles. These needles don’t have any medication in them. Once he finds the most affected area, he moves the needle around in the muscle, which he said is what reduces the pain.
All the muscles are interconnected, so as more injections are done, the more relief the patient will feel. The relief will last two to three weeks before the patient will need another injection.
Khaled said that almost all his patients have said the intensity of their pain decreased drastically in just a couple months.
Anna Ring, a sophomore in the College of Nursing, sees Khaled to treat her headaches and said she describes the sensation as numbing rather than painful. Ring said that once she was able to find a professional that would listen to her, she hasn’t had as much trouble with her headaches.
“When my pain was at the worst, I couldn’t go to class. All I could do was lay in bed in the dark, but after seeing Dr. Khaled, I feel way more stable and I can actually manage pain, go to my classes, and live a normal college life,” Ring said.
Molly McCowan, manager of the School of Dentistry faculty practice, said that Khaled can make patients feel comfortable and understood. She said Khaled gives people hope who’ve been struggling in silence for such a long time.
“He’s somebody that has done a lot of work throughout the university for people that suffer with things like migraines. He’s also helped partner with the physical therapy clinic, to help find a comprehensive approach to healing,” McCowan said.
Not only does Khaled provide treatment with trigger point injections, but he also uses Botox to relieve headache pain. The Botox treatment lasts 4 to 6 months which is longer than the trigger point injections.
“Most people think botox is only for cosmetics, but it’s been used significantly to reduce the amount of pain,” Khaled said.
Khaled said different forms of treatment work better for different patients, and he’s still working to expand the treatment options. Khaled said he’s currently researching hypnosis to cure headaches.
McCowan said everyone has stress in their lives, and for some, it manifests in chronic pain.
“I see how much he’s helping people and it’s very amazing. He provides some light and the end of the tunnel,” MCcowan said.
Any student or faculty member who struggles with migraines is encouraged to reach out to the school of dentistry faculty practice to set up an appointment at (414) 288-0788.
“For all Marquette community, we are here for you to relieve your stresses,” Khaled said.
This story was written by Sophia Tiedge. She can be reached at [email protected]
