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Headache Evaluation and Treatment
Our headache specialists at Henry Ford Health diagnose and treat the most complex cases. We offer a level of personalized care that’s not widely available in Michigan, including advanced therapies for stubborn symptoms. These capabilities help more people break free from chronic headaches and facial pain and live life to the fullest.
Headache evaluation and treatment at Henry Ford: Why choose us?
Respected headache neurologists with decades of experience guide your care. We accurately pinpoint the source of your symptoms and use leading therapies to help you get relief. And you can count on us to be there for you if your symptoms flare-up or your needs change. Meet our headache and facial pain doctors.
Highlights of our program include:
- Team approach: Complex headache syndromes like migraine and facial pain from trigeminal neuralgia require care from multiple specialists. We work closely with pain management doctors, neurosurgeons and others whenever necessary to coordinate your care. These efforts help you receive appropriate therapies tailored to your needs.
- Treatment options: You have access to more of the headache therapies you need in one program. If mediations are not successful, your care may include injections, infusions or implantable devices. Eligible patients may participate in national clinical trials testing new therapies. Explore headache and facial pain research and innovation.
- Care for rare conditions: Our reputation for successfully treating uncommon forms of headache and facial pain draws patients from across the region. Rare conditions we treat include cluster headaches and pseudotumor cerebri (idiopathic intracranial hypertension). Find out more about the types of headache and facial pain we treat.
Virtual Care
Headache evaluations at Henry Ford: What to expect
We start with an extensive diagnosis, which includes gathering a complete medical history, performing a neurologic exam and additional testing, if necessary.
Information we may request includes:
- Your headache or facial pain history, including what the pain feels like, how often you experience it and how long it typically lasts
- Family health history, including any blood relatives who have experienced similar headache or facial pain symptoms
- Other medical conditions you are receiving treatment for
- Medications, vitamins or supplements you are taking for headaches or any other reason
- Medical records, including reports from any previous head or brain imaging studies you may have had
Headache and facial pain treatments we offer
Once the evaluation is complete, we work with you to develop a personalized treatment plan. There have been significant advancements in the field of headache and facial pain medicine in recent years, and Henry Ford is at the forefront.
We offer a comprehensive approach to treatment. Your care may include:
- Facial pain surgery: Highly skilled neurosurgeons sever or move the vessel away from the nerve causing your symptoms. If symptoms are due to a tumor, we remove it. Additional options include neurostimulation devices, some of which are not widely available, that block pain signals. Find out more about trigeminal neuralgia surgery and other facial pain procedures.
- Integrative medicine: These therapies work with headache treatments to restore wellness. We may recommend acupuncture, massage or other options. Read more about integrative medicine.
- Lifestyle modifications: Adopting healthy habits may help you gain better symptom control or lower your risk for future headache episodes. These habits include avoiding alcohol and getting the right amount of sleep.
- Medications: We use non-habit-forming medications in doses that are appropriate for your needs. The type of drug that’s right for you depends on your diagnosis and overall health. Our careful approach helps you get relief while minimizing side effects.
- Injections and pain blocks: These procedures help you get relief from stubborn symptoms by blocking pain signals. Your care may include Botox® injections. We offer the latest options and have deep expertise in delivering this type of care. Read more about headache nerve blocks and injections.
- Infusion therapy: For severe migraine pain, this service may help you avoid a trip to the emergency room. We deliver medications, vitamins and other substances through a vein in your arm. Explore outpatient infusion therapy.
- Neurostimulators: For advanced and difficult-to-treat headaches, you may benefit from a surgically implantable device. We offer devices that are not widely available, giving you more chances for healing. You might also benefit from wearable devices that treat, and may prevent, migraines without medication. Learn more about surgery for headaches.
- Physical therapy: For certain types of headaches, this option prevents and treats stubborn pain. We use various techniques, including strengthening exercises, to relieve muscle tension in your neck and upper back. Explore physical therapy for headaches.