Headaches
Headache and migraine pain is unlike any other type of discomfort. Along with physical pain, headaches affect your ability to think clearly, connect with others, and even perform routine tasks. Headache and migraine symptoms are often complex and difficult to trace. Pinpointing the cause of your pain is the first step in alleviating uncomfortable symptoms.
People with Headaches Know Migraine Pain is the Worst Type of Pain
At North Shore Headache and Spine in Huntington, New York, board-certified anesthesiologist and pain management specialist Dr. Frank Ocasio takes a multidisciplinary approach to headache and migraine treatment. Dr. Ocasio has been practicing medicine for more than a decade, boasts specialized training in anesthesiology and interventional pain management, and even opened a professional massage therapy school prior to becoming a physician.a
Dr. Ocasio understands the complicated nature of chronic pain. He strives to uncover the source of your headaches and migraine pain, so he can develop a personalized treatment plan that addresses your individual needs.
What Is the Difference Between Headaches and Migraines?
Headaches and migraines are often clumped together, but understanding the difference enables you to find the best treatment for your pain.
Headaches
Headaches present in many different ways. Some cause persistent, throbbing pain, while others feel like a rubber band tightening around your head. The most common types of headaches include:
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- Tension headaches: A gradual dull ache that wraps around your head is a telltale sign of a tension headache.
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- Cluster headaches: These headaches often develop suddenly and cause intense pain on one side of your head, typically behind the eyes.
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Migraines
A migraine is a severe, complex type of headache that is actually a neurological condition. In addition to throbbing, intense head pain, migraines can cause:
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- Nausea
- Sensitivity to light, sound, or certain smells
- Congestion
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- Scalp tenderness
- Dizziness
- Fatigue
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Phases of a Migraine
Migraines often develop in four distinct stages:
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Prodrome phase
Often occurring days before the headache develops, the prodrome phase is tough to pinpoint. Many people experience mood swings, anxiety, and neck stiffness while others have intense food cravings.
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Aura phase
The aura phase refers to the sensory disruptions that often accompany a migraine. Blurred vision, blind spots, slurred speech, and numbness can leave you bed-bound and unable to participate in even basic activities, like reading.
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Headache phase
The headache phase typically causes mild to severe pain on one side of the head. While some people can experience migraines without headaches, most do feel some level of pain. The headache phase can also cause other symptoms, like light and sound sensitivity, to intensify.
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Postdromal phase
Once the headache phase subsides, you may feel weak and exhausted. This is called the postdromal phase, which marks the end of a migraine.
Whether your pain stems from muscular damage, nerve dysfunction, or lifestyle choices, Dr. Ocasio can deliver lasting relief.
Treatments for Headaches and Migraines In Huntington, NY
Dr. Ocasio performs a wide variety of headache and migraine treatments that target the root cause of your symptoms.
Contact Our Pain Management Clinic For Relief Today
If you have debilitating migraines, chronic headaches, or facial pain, contact North Shore Headache and Spine today to get the relief you deserve.
Why Choose North Shore Headache and Spine?
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INNOVATIVE TREATMENTS &
REGENERATIVE MEDICINE
With our in-office diagnostic imaging, dozens of innovative treatments, and full regenerative medicine service offerings, we are able to examine, diagnose, and treat patients experiencing chronic pain all under one roof.
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Long-Term
Integrative Philosophy
Instead of masking symptoms with a quick-fix approach, we focus on every lifestyle aspect to determine the root causes of pain and develop non-narcotic solutions.
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Deeply-Committed
Relationships
Our team values each and every one of our patients. We understand the toll that chronic pain takes on your physical and mental health, and we’re committed to listening to your concerns and creating the right treatent plan for you.
Pain Management Treatment Options
North Shore Headache and Spine offers the latest modalities for headaches and migraines, including, but not limited to:
PRP
Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) utilizes your body’s natural healing abilities to repair hard and soft tissue damage. PRP concentrates parts of your blood that contain healing growth factors. By running your blood through a centrifuge, we can isolate these restorative substances and inject it back into your tissues to promote healing.
STEM CELL
Stem cell therapy is a type of regenerative medicine that can repair damage without surgery or medication. Mesenchymal can develop into many different types of cells to promote healing in the areas in which they’re injected. If tissue damage is causing your headaches, stem cell therapy may help relieve your pain.
Botox For chronic Migraine
Botox® injections help alleviate headache pain by temporarily blocking the neurotransmitters that send pain signals to the brain.
Nerve Blocks
A nerve block delivers a combination of medication and an anesthetic directly into the space surrounding a damaged nerve to quickly relieve pain.
Epidural, Steroid, and Trigger Point Injections
Steroid injections, including epidurals and trigger point injections, introduce anti-inflammatory medications into your area of pain to simultaneously alleviate chronic pain and treat inflammation.
Radio Frequency, Cryoneuroablation, and Nerve Ablation
Dysfunctional nerves often lead to headache and migraine pain. Once Dr. Ocasio pinpoints the location of your damaged nerve, he may recommend nerve stimulation, radiofrequency ablation, pulsed radiofrequency (RF), or thermal RF to restore healthy function.