Well, I have a neurologist so why do I need a Headache Specialist?

When a child or adult starts having head pain, whether it is a smaller tension headache or a pounding, disabling migraine; the patient is scared. A patient’s thoughts turn to tumors, aneurysms, and other scary life altering diseases. When you are looking for a doctor, you want someone who has expertise in evaluating and treating the entire range of reasons for headaches. Heaven forbid you have an atypical symptom; a patient would definitely want a doctor who has seen such things before and treated it successfully. Headache specialists are just that in regards to head and facial pain. We are focused on this specific area of study and are highly skilled in treating the entire range of presentations. Headache specialists do not necessarily have to be neurologists. A fair number of us are initially trained in Neurology but it is not a requirement. While a general neurologist can certainly handle headache patients, a headache specialist has done extra training to recognize and treat all the different areas of headache and facial pain. We often attend specialized conferences and are part of a headache network across the country. When medications are not the best options or have failed, headache specialists are also trained in procedures that can alleviate pain giving patients another alternative to what primary care or a general neurologist can do. We have the knowledge and proficiency to treat a wide range of headache types from common to rare. With multiple triggers for such headaches, it is best to have an expert that is focused on this patient population to provide the most complete and comprehensive care. A patient will feel in good hands with the skill and knowledge provided by a headache specialist.