When to See a Neurologist for a Headache
Occasional headaches are common. You don’t always need to worry about a headache or see a neurologist.
Your primary care provider may consider giving you a referral to a neurologist if your headaches have several features:
- Are increasing in frequency or severity
- Don’t get better with over-the-counter drugs
- Interfere with sleeping, working, or participating in other activities
- Occur more than 15 days per month
When to Worry About a Headache
Seek emergency medical care if you have a headache along with these warning signs:
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Confusion or difficulty understanding others
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Difficulty walking, speaking, or seeing
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Fainting
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High fever
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Nausea or vomiting unrelated to the flu or a hangover
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Stiff neck
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Weakness, numbness, or paralysis
Find a Headache Specialist
Headache Medicine
Your provider may prescribe medications to help prevent or treat headaches. The medicine you take depends on multiple factors:
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Medications you take
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Other medical conditions you have
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Symptoms frequency and severity
There are multiple headache medicines:
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Analgesics: These medications are used infrequently but can cause medication overuse headaches.
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Antidepressants: Certain antidepressants help prevent headaches. They may be especially useful for migraines and tension headaches. Antidepressants may be particularly helpful for people who also have depression and anxiety.
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Anti-seizure medications: These medicines can affect how your nerves send pain signals. They may benefit you if you have headaches related to nerve pain.
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Blood pressure medicines: Some specific medicines designed to lower blood pressure can also prevent headaches.
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Botulinum toxin (Botox) injections: You may get regular Botox injections to prevent migraines. The has approved Botox injections for people who experience chronic migraine more than 15 days per month.
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Calcitonin gene related peptide (CGRP) antibodies: These are migraine specific medications that prevent migraines by blocking CGRP.
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Ergotamines (ergots): These medicines treat migraines. They can cause nausea, so your doctor may instruct you to take a nausea medication before taking an ergot.
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Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs): People usually take NSAIDs to prevent muscle or joint pain. Sometimes they prevent headaches. However, long-term daily use can increase your risk of stomach bleeding, heart disease, kidney failure, or headaches that come back (rebound).
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Sleep medications: Some sleep medicines help prevent headaches. Your doctor may also give you one of these medicines to help you sleep with a bad headache.
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Triptans: These medicines help treat migraine symptoms. They affect a specific type of serotonin receptor in your brain. Serotonin receptors help regulate serotonin, a chemical that helps regulate mood and multiple other body functions.
Natural Remedies for Headaches
Some vitamins and supplements help some people manage headaches. Remember that supplements can cause side effects and drug interactions just like any other medication. Always speak with your doctor before starting a supplement.
You may also prevent and manage headaches with some other strategies:
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Apply ice packs or massage your head.
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Exercise for at least 20-30 minutes daily.
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Practice visualization exercises, muscle relaxation, or hypnosis.
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Schedule a session with an acupuncturist, a specialist who inserts fine needles into specific points along your body to reduce pain.
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Use physical therapy body tools, such as foam rollers, to relieve head tension.
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Wear FL-41-tinted glasses to decrease your sensitivity to the light of computers, televisions, or fluorescent lights.
How to Prevent Headaches
Identifying your triggers is important for preventing headaches. A trigger is something that brings on a headache. The best way to know your triggers is to keep a headache diary. Every time you get a headache, write down what is happening when your symptoms start.
Triggers are different for everyone, but there are some common ones:
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Altitude changes, such as during airplane travel
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Bright lights, loud noises, or strong odors
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Changes in temperature, humidity, or wind
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Hormonal changes
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Lack of exercise
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Poor sleep
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Skipping meals, not drinking enough water, or eating processed foods
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Stress and anxiety
Why Choose 91Â鶹ÌìÃÀÖ±²¥ for Headache Treatment?
Treating headaches can be challenging. At our Headache Clinic, we’ll work to understand your diagnosis thoroughly. This will help us provide better, more effective treatments.
Our care team includes physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, pharmacists, and other medical staff. We combine our experience with the latest technology to bring you headache relief. Our team provides inpatient and outpatient treatments, delivered with compassion.
Make an Appointment With Our Headache Clinic
Call 801-585-7575 or request an appointment online to see one of our neurologists. Provider referrals are welcome but not necessary.
