You may periodically experience headaches throughout your life, which are extremely common. Most headaches aren’t dangerous, but some may be a sign of a more serious underlying medical condition. If you suffer from headaches or migraines that affect your daily functioning or mood, WMCHealth headache specialists are here to help.
The WMCHealth Headache Specialists Center in New York is home to doctors who can provide accurate diagnosis and treatment that will make you feel better. We created our headache center to meet the need for a multi-specialty center of care to serve patients in our community and advance knowledge in the field. The care teams may include those from internal medicine, neurology, and pain management. We work together to diagnose and relieve your headache symptoms.
When Is a Headache Serious?
A headache is a pain you experience in any area of your head or face. It may feel like a persistent pressure that is throbbing, sharp, or dull. Headaches can develop slowly or quickly, and they can last for mere minutes or several days.
A migraine is a chronic type of headache. You may feel a throbbing pain on one side of your head. Migraines last for a minimum of four hours and can continue for several days.
If you have chronic, severe, or long-lasting headaches, you may need medical attention. At WMCHealth, we can help get at the bottom of your headache pain to help you with a diagnosis and treatment if needed.
Types of Headaches
There are more than 100 types of headaches. They are generally divided into two broad categories:
- A primary headache is not a symptom of or caused by an underlying medical condition. Primary headaches include tension (pressure on your forehead or temples) and cluster (severe pain on one side of your head) headaches. A migraine is a type of primary headache characterized by intense pain. They may also include nausea and a sensitivity to light and sound.
- A secondary headache is considered a symptom of an underlying medical condition that may be significant or potentially life-threatening. These include spinal (a cause of subdural hematoma, if left untreated) and thunderclap (a sign of a head injury) headaches.
Symptoms of Headaches and Migraines
You may only feel head or facial pain when experiencing a headache or migraine. However, you can also experience a range of other symptoms, including:
- Fatigue
- Nausea
- Dizziness
- Vision changes
- Trouble concentrating
- Sensitivity to light, sound, and smells
Causes of Headaches and Migraines
You feel headache pain when your brain, blood vessels, surrounding nerves, and muscles are inflamed or irritated during signal interaction. There are two main causes of headaches and migraines:
- A migraine occurs when specific nerves are activated and send pain signals to your brain.
- A tension headache, the most common type, occurs when your head and neck muscles tighten.
The causes of muscle tension in the head and neck, or hypersensitive nerve endings in the brain may vary from person to person. But there are common environmental triggers that bring them on, including:
- Stress
- Skipped meals
- Changes in sleep or lack of sleep
- Hormonal changes in women (especially during menstruation)
- Certain foods and drinks, such as caffeine, alcohol, or processed foods
Diagnosing Headaches and Migraines
To diagnose your headache or migraine, your headache specialist will first review your headache intake form, which asks about your current symptoms. They may ask follow-up questions about potential triggers or the length and frequency of your headaches. They may also ask about the location and severity of your pain.
Next, your headache specialist will decide if additional testing is needed. They may perform a physical or neurological exam, or arrange for blood work or imaging tests. These additional steps can help pinpoint a possible underlying medical condition or rule out diseases that may be the cause of your headache.
Treatment for Headaches and Migraines
Treatments for headaches will greatly depend on the type you have and its severity. Your headache specialist will arrange for you to see a doctor whose expertise aligns with your diagnosis. This may be either a neurologist or a pain management doctor who will tailor a proper treatment plan.
Your treatment plan may include:
- Acupuncture
- Cold or hot pack applications
- Over-the-counter or prescription medications
- Relaxation techniques, like yoga or meditation
- Botox injections to help block nerves from sending pain signals
- A minimally invasive procedure, such as facet injections into the small joints of your neck to lessen your pain
"I Didn't Want the Headaches to Come Back"
Do you suffer from headaches? Susan did, daily, and they were so excruciating, so debilitating that she sought the expertise of WMCHealth Headache Specialists. If you are one of the millions that suffer daily from troublesome headaches you can relate to Susan’s story, told here and learn how she is now headache-free, thanks to the expert care she received.
Reclaim Your Life with Migraine Surgery
If you suffer from chronic headaches and experience limited success with previous headache treatments, migraine surgery may be right for you. We may be able to relieve your head pressure and pain with our minimally invasive surgery, backed by science that shows its effectiveness as a cure. After scheduling an appointment, our headache specialists can determine if you’re a surgical candidate with a few routine tests.