Headaches Specialist

What is a headache?

Medically speaking, a headache is any type of pain that occurs in your head or neck. Headaches affect everyone differently — sometimes the pain is sharp and stabbing, other times it’s dull and throbbing.

Usually, headaches aren’t a serious medical concern. In most cases, conservative measures of care like rest and over-the-counter pain medicine provide significant relief. However, if you experience headaches on a frequent basis, it could point to a more serious underlying health problem.

Are primary and secondary headaches the same thing?

There are two categories of headaches:

Primary headaches

A primary headache is an illness caused by over activity or problems with the structures in your head that are pain-sensitive. Primary headaches often result due to inflammation or irritation of the blood vessels, nerves, and muscles in your head or neck.

Secondary headaches

Secondary headaches develop as the result of an accident, injury, or other condition that stimulates the pain-sensitive structures in your head. Common causes of secondary headaches include automobile accidents, hangovers, concussions, and dehydration.

What types of headaches do you treat?

At PANDA Neurology & Atlanta Headache Specialists, the team treats an array of headache types, including:

Migraine headaches

Migraine headaches aren’t your typical, run-of-the-mill headaches. Migraine causes debilitating symptoms including throbbing pain, sensitivity to light and sound, and dizziness. In addition, migraine headaches are long lasting. They can last for hours at a time or even days.

Tension headaches

Tension headaches are incredibly common. They usually develop in the afternoon and feature symptoms such as a constant dull ache on both sides of your head and pain that spreads down your neck and into your shoulders.

Cluster headaches

Cluster headaches present pain that’s sharp and burning. They typically last anywhere between 15 minutes and three hours and occur suddenly, once or multiple times a day for weeks, or months at a time.

How are headaches treated?

The treatment for headaches depends on the type of headaches you experience and their severity.

Following a physical exam, review of your medical history, and discussion of your symptoms, your doctor might recommend:

• Nerve blocks
• Botox injections
• Dysport injections
• Lifestyle changes

The team at PANDA Neurology & Atlanta Headache Specialists also has an infusion center designed for the management of acute migraine headaches with the use of intravenous (IV) medications.

Don’t let debilitating headaches prevent you from living your best life. Call the office or use the online booking tool to make an appointment at PANDA Neurology & Atlanta Headache Specialists today.