Headaches Specialist

What kinds of headaches are treated?

There are over a hundred different types of headaches, some of which are primary, meaning they are the sole issue, while others are secondary, which means that they’re a result of another problem. At Restore Orthopedics and Spine Center, the team of pain management specialists offers treatment for atypical headaches and migraines, as well as tension headaches. The group has great success in tackling these chronic headaches, especially ones that prove to be resistant to traditional treatments.

What is an atypical headache?

Migraines are complex headaches that strike about 28 million people in the United States alone. Classic migraines are often marked by severe head pain, nausea, and sensitivity to light and sound, and they typically follow the same course, which means they come in four phases:

• Prodrome
• Aura, or visual disturbances
• Pain
• Postdrome

If you suffer many of the same symptoms of a migraine, but you don’t experience any aura, this is classified as an atypical migraine. In fact, many migraines that don’t fit the general pattern, but still cause considerable head pain, are classified as “atypical.” Atypical migraines can also include symptoms that are outside of the usual migraine side effects, such as:

• Impaired vision
• Dizziness
• Fever
• Vomiting and diarrhea

If you suffer from a sudden onslaught of head pain that mimics the worst parts of a migraine, the odds are that you’re suffering from atypical headaches or migraines.

What is a tension headache?

Tension headaches are aptly named as they produce a sensation like your head is being squeezed, and this effect can range from mild to severe. Tension headaches can also reach your neck and shoulders, rendering them tender and sore.

If you experience this headache less than 15 days a month, but continually for three months, it’s classified as an episodic tension headache. If you experience these headaches for 15 or more days a month over the course of three months or more, it’s considered chronic.

How are headaches treated?

The doctors at Restore Orthopedics and Spine Center turn to interventional pain management to treat chronic tension headaches and atypical headaches using:

• Peripheral nerve blocks, including an occipital nerve block
• Sphenopalatine ganglion blocks, which target a bundle of nerves behind your nose
• Trigger point injections

When you sit down with your doctor and review your symptoms and your medical history, they recommend the option that best fits your headaches problems with the goal of providing you with much-needed relief.

To free yourself from headache pain, call Restore Orthopedics and Spine Center or use the online scheduling tool to book a visit.