Headaches Specialist
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Innovative Pain and Spine Center
Board Certified Physician in Pain Management & in Physical Medicine located in Toluca Lake, North Hollywood, CA
Headaches affect everyone at some point in life. However, for some people, headaches can be a chronic source of pain that affects their quality of life. Board-certified pain management specialist Matthew Root, DO, at Innovative Pain and Spine Center in the North Hollywood neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, takes an integrative approach to care. He works closely with you to develop a treatment plan to alleviate your headache pain. To schedule a consultation, call the Toluca Lake office or request an appointment online today.
Headaches Q & A
What are headaches?
Headaches include any pain or discomfort you experience in or around your head. Your pain may be a dull, achy sensation that develops slowly over time or a sharp, stabbing pain that comes on quickly and unexpectedly. Your pain may be localized to one part of your head or radiate throughout.
Headaches are common and most resolve on their own with at-home care. However, if your head pain occurs on a regular basis, or your pain is severe, then you may benefit from a consultation at Innovative Pain and Spine Center.
What are common types of headaches?
There are several types of headaches that cause a variety of symptoms. At Innovative Pain and Spine Center, Dr. Root treats:
Cervicogenic headaches
Cervicogenic headaches are a type of headache caused by cervical spine conditions. The pain usually only affects one side of the head and may worsen with neck movement and limit neck mobility.
Migraine headaches
Migraine headaches are also common and cause a painful pulsing sensation that can last for days. In addition to your head pain, migraines may also cause nausea, vomiting, or sensitivity to light. You may also experience visual disturbances called auras, such as flashes of light, before the onset of your head pain.
Occipital neuralgia
Occipital neuralgia is a chronic headache that causes throbbing, piercing, or electric-shock sensations that start in your neck and travel to the back of your head and behind your ear on one side of your head. Injury or irritation of your occipital nerves causes this type of head pain.
Trigeminal neuralgia
Trigeminal neuralgia may cause shooting, aching, or electric-shock sensations along your trigeminal nerve, which provides sensory information from your face to your brain. The chronic pain condition usually starts with short, mild attacks. However, over time your attacks may be longer and more severe.
How are headaches treated?
Dr. Root takes an integrative approach to care, and he develops personalized treatment plans based on your headache type, the severity of your symptoms, and your overall health and wellness.
In addition to over-the-counter or prescription pain medications for your headache type, Innovative Pain and Spine Center also offers other treatments, including:
Occipital nerve blocks
Dr. Root may recommend an occipital nerve block for the treatment of chronic tension or migraine headaches. The injection is placed in the occipital nerves in the back of your head and may alleviate your pain by reducing inflammation and irritation.
Botox® injections
For those who suffer from chronic migraines (15 or more migraines a month), Dr. Root offers Botox injections. The injections alleviate migraine pain by blocking the release of chemicals that transmit pain sensations.
During your Botox treatment, Dr. Root places several injections in specific areas around your head and neck. Your injections may reduce the frequency of your migraine headaches by as much as 50%, and these effects typically last up to three months.
For some people, headaches are a chronic pain condition that interferes with daily life. For comprehensive care for your headaches, contact Innovative Pain and Spine Center by phone or use the online booking tool today.
