Question 1

What is TEMMA?

Accepted Answer

TEMMA (Targeted Embolization for Migraine Management) is a minimally invasive treatment that uses a tiny soft coil to gently seal the middle meningeal artery (MMA)—a vessel linked to migraine-generating pain pathways.

Closing this vessel can reduce abnormal signals in the dura and may help decrease migraine frequency and severity.

Question 2

How does TEMMA help with migraines?

Accepted Answer

Research shows that many migraines begin in the dura, the pain-sensitive layer inside the skull supplied by the MMA (Middle Meningeal Artery).

By blocking this artery, TEMMA helps quiet the pain pathways that can trigger and sustain migraine attacks.

Question 3

Is TEMMA brain surgery?

Accepted Answer

No. TEMMA is not brain surgery.

There are no incisions on the head and no instruments enter the brain.

The procedure is done through a tiny opening at the wrist or groin using image-guided catheters.

Question 4

What is the lidocaine test?

Accepted Answer

Before TEMMA, a small amount of numbing medicine (lidocaine) is injected directly into the MMA through a microcatheter.  The lidocaine test is a procedure similar to the TEMMA procedure.

If your migraine improves—even briefly—it suggests you may benefit from the full TEMMA procedure.

Question 5

What happens during the actual TEMMA procedure?

Accepted Answer

A soft coil is placed inside the MMA using a microcatheter.

It gently seals the artery, reducing abnormal dural blood flow.

Most procedures take 20–30 minutes, use light sedation, and require no hospital stay.

Question 6

Do I need the middle meningeal artery (MMA)? Does closing it cause problems?

Accepted Answer

No — you do not need the MMA for normal brain function, and embolizing it is considered safe in well-selected patients.
The MMA supplies blood to the dura, the thick covering around the brain, not to the brain itself. It does not provide oxygen or nutrients to brain tissue, and blocking it does not affect how the brain works.
MMA embolization has been performed thousands of times worldwide for other conditions (especially chronic subdural hematomas), and the procedure has a very strong safety record. Studies consistently show:
 • No loss of brain function
 • No cognitive changes
 • No problems with thinking, memory, or movement
 • Extremely low rates of serious complications
Most patients go home the same day and feel normal within 24 hours.
In migraine treatment, embolizing the MMA helps reduce abnormal pain signaling from the dura — the same pathway targeted by many migraine medications — but in a longer-lasting, minimally invasive way.
In short: you don’t need the MMA for healthy brain function, and safely closing it has been well established in modern neurointerventional care.

Question 7

How long does it take to recover?

Accepted Answer

Patients go home the same day and typically return to normal activity within 24 hours.

Some experience mild fatigue or scalp tingling for a short time.

Question 8

How soon will I notice improvement?

Accepted Answer

Many patients notice changes within days to weeks, though improvement can continue over several months as the migraine pathway quiets.

Question 9

Is TEMMA safe?

Accepted Answer

Yes. The technique used—MMA coil embolization—has been performed thousands of times for other conditions and has a strong safety record.

The MMA does not supply brain tissue, making the procedure low risk when performed by trained neurointerventional specialists.

Question 10

What are the possible side effects?

Accepted Answer

Side effects are usually mild and temporary:
 • Scalp tingling
 • Mild headache or pressure
 • Fatigue
 • Wrist or groin soreness
Serious complications are extremely rare.

Question 11

Is TEMMA covered by insurance?

Accepted Answer

Insurance coverage varies.

However, most insurances will cover both the evaluation and TEMMA procedure based on your medical history.

We review all costs and benefits before scheduling treatment.

Question 12

Who is a good candidate for TEMMA?

Accepted Answer

You may be a candidate if you have:
 • Severe migraine (Greater than 10 headache days a month)
 • Migraines that don’t improve with medication
 • Medication-overuse headaches
 • Hormonal or menstrual migraines
 • Side effects from current treatments
 • A positive lidocaine test

Question 13

Can the coil move or come out?

Accepted Answer

No. The coil stays securely in place and becomes embedded in the vessel wall over time.

It does not travel to the brain.

Question 14

Can I get an MRI after TEMMA?

Accepted Answer

Yes. TEMMA uses MRI-safe coils.

Question 15

How long does the benefit last?

Accepted Answer

Because the artery remains sealed, the effect is intended to be long-lasting.

Research is ongoing, but early results are very promising.

Question 16

Why haven’t I heard of this before?

Accepted Answer

TEMMA is a new application of a well-established neurointerventional technique.

As research grows and more patients experience improvement, awareness is rapidly increasing among migraine specialists.