Headache

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If you have frequent headaches or migraines, we know that constant pain can interrupt your daily life.

You aren’t alone. Headaches are one of the most common complaints to primary care providers, emergency departments, and neurologists.

Headaches are often mistreated or misdiagnosed, and you might come across misinformation about treating them.

Neurologists with University of Iowa Health Care do more than diagnose and treat all types of headaches. Our team is passionate about giving you more headache-free days and a better quality of life.

Note:

If you’re experiencing a thunderclap headache (a headache that comes on very abruptly), light sensitivity, nausea, slurred speech, numbness, or tingling, you may have a possible brain bleed. Please seek immediate medical attention for evaluation.

Call 911 immediately.

Types of headaches

Headaches can vary in terms of signs and symptoms. They may cause unilateral pain, nausea, sensitivity to light or sound, and/or vomiting.

If you have at least five attacks or episodes within three months, or if your headaches interfere with your daily life, talk to your doctor.

To best treat your headaches, our UI Health Care team diagnoses them in the correct category: primary or secondary headaches.

Primary headaches

Primary headaches include:

Tension-type headaches: These mild to moderate headaches may feel like you have a band squeezing your head. Tension headaches are uncomfortable but don’t interfere with your daily activities. They usually go away with over-the-counter medicine.
Migraine headaches: Moderate to severe in intensity, migraine headaches can feel like throbbing pain and have other symptoms such as light sensitivity, noise sensitivity, and nausea or vomiting. These symptoms may be preceded by auras. Migraine headaches can interfere with your ability to perform everyday activities. These headaches last longer and don’t typically go away with over-the-counter interventions.
Cluster headaches: Severe in intensity, some patients say cluster headaches can bring you to your knees in pain. While these headaches can be short, this intense pain may come with a runny nose, red or watering eyes, or a sense of restlessness or agitation.

Secondary headaches

Secondary headaches result from another medical condition or event. Head pain is a symptom.

You might experience a secondary headache for a variety of reasons, including:

Concussions
Craniofacial surgery
Giant cell arteritis
Infections (i.e., meningitis, encephalitis, COVID-19)
Injury
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
Sinus infection
Sleep apnea
Traumatic brain injury

Headache diagnosis

University of Iowa Health Care offers specialized expertise to diagnose your headache accurately.

As with most neurological diseases, headaches are a clinical diagnosis. When you first come to us, we will perform a thorough physical exam and ask you detailed questions about your headache symptoms. We may also recommend an MRI or CT scan.

From this initial appointment, we can diagnose your headache and treat it appropriately. The sooner we can begin the correct headache treatment, the sooner you’ll experience the much-needed relief you’re looking for.

Headache care from University of Iowa Health Care

We know how much headaches can disrupt your day. Our UI Health Care team is here to help get you back to your work and life.

Treatment for headaches

Treating headaches is not just about prescribing a pill.

Headaches are a multidisciplinary condition that involves more than head pain. Once we know what is causing your headaches, we can help you feel better.

We also offer multidisciplinary pediatric headache care at University of Iowa Stead Family Children’s Hospital.

Comprehensive migraine treatment

If you are experiencing migraine headaches, our skilled neurologists offer many treatments that can help, including:

Triptan medications

These medications treat moderate to severe migraines after headache symptoms have started. Typically, these are more effective early into the attack when the symptoms are mild to moderate.

CGRP inhibitors

These inhibitors help block the effect of calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), a small protein involved in pain transmission during a migraine attack.

Other medications

Medications commonly used for something else—antihypertensives, antidepressants, and antiseizure medications, for example—can also effectively treat headaches.

BOTOX® injections

FDA-approved for chronic migraines (15 or more days a month), BOTOX® can help block the chemicals involved in pain transmission.

Trigger point injection

This medication (usually a local anesthetic) can provide relief to painful muscles.

Neuromodulation devices

Approved by the FDA, these advanced medical tools can increase or decrease the nervous system’s activity, helping reduce migraine attacks.

Lifestyle modifications

Changes to your nutrition, sleep, exercise, and stress may reduce migraine attacks. We can guide and support you in making these adjustments.

Headache expertise you can rely on

We take a multidisciplinary approach to diagnosing and treating headaches.

Our team includes board-certified neurologists who are part of the American Headache Society, neurological nurse practitioners, and a certified clinical pharmacist all who specialize in headache treatment.

Referrals you need

We also understand that headaches may often be a symptom of another condition. We can connect you with excellent providers to support your care, including:

Our UI Health Care team will create a headache care plan that treats your pain and improves your quality of life.

If you think the UI Health Care headache clinic is right for you, talk to your doctor and ask for a referral.

Neuro-ophthalmologist

Adriana

Rodriguez-Barrath

MD

Neurology
Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences

4.70 out of 5 (194 ratings)

Neurologist

Ryan

Lechtenberg

MD

Neurology

4.82 out of 5 (395 ratings)

Nurse Practitioner

Heather

Highly

ARNP

Neurology

4.79 out of 5 (235 ratings)

Rebecca L.

Zwanziger

ARNP, AQH

Neurology

4.57 out of 5 (268 ratings)

Pharmacist

Claire

Pottebaum

PharmD, BCPS

Neurology
Pharmacy

Need help finding a headache specialist?

Whether you’re experiencing frequent tension headaches or painful migraines, we can help. We’ll connect you with a neurologist who can help you achieve more headache-free days.

Call 1-319-356-2572

Headache