Headache Treatment

Headaches are one of the most common chronic pain syndromes and also one of the most complex of all pain problems. Unlike many other types of pain, in most cases there is no diagnostic study that will definitively explain his/her headache syndrome. Headaches, by their nature, are subjective, i.e. without any objective evidence of the cause of the headache. Later exceptions to this rule, but for the most part headaches are rarely diagnosed by findings on MRI, CAT scan, x-ray, EMG, ultrasound or any other imaging studies. Therefore, in most cases, the diagnosis and treatment of a headache condition is based on the history and careful physical examination of a trained professional.

A broad array of healthcare professionals may be involved in the treatment of the headache including, the TMJ Specialist, Pain Management Specialist, Neurologist, Neurosurgeon, Psychologist, Neuropsychologist, Chiropractic Physician, Acupuncturist, Massage Therapist, Osteopathic Physician, to name a few.

As you can see by the number of specialists that are involved with this type of treatment, there is often a great deal of complexity in the management of headaches. In many, if not most cases, the treatment of headaches is a multidisciplinary effort. At Comprehensive Pain Management would work very closely with such specialists to individualize the treatment of your headache.

While there may be very serious causes of headache ranging from tumor to cerebral aneurysms to arteriovenous malformations to other various brain anomalies, most headaches that are seen at our clinic are not caused by these more serious conditions. In many of the patients that we evaluate for headache, structural problems contribute significantly to the headache condition. The providers at CPM work closely with our specialists to individualize your headache treatment. These types of problems frequently can be improved or resolved with a variety of interventional pain management techniques.