Migraine Pain Relief in Seattle

Most of us have experienced what it is like to have a really bad headache in our lives. Certain people, however, experience bad headaches almost daily and the pain might be so awful that he or she simply is suffering and is unable to function normally due to the intensity of pain nor can spend time with family, work, or enjoy hobbies.

There are many different reasons in our daily lives why headache might occur and different types of headache experiences. In this blog post, I would like to address migraine headaches, however there are other severe and debilitating types of headaches, including tension headaches, cluster headaches, occipital neuralgia, and post dural puncture headache. Additionally, there are facial pain syndromes including trigeminal neuralgia and glossopharyngeal neuralgia which usually require diagnosis by a pain management specialist.  In future blog posts, I hope to discuss the variety of other headache types and facial pain syndromes. In the meanwhile, feel free to reach out to our office if you would like more information about these non-migraine type headaches or facial pains.

The classic migraine headache is well known. Deep throbbing and horrible pain, sensitivity to sound and light, nausea and vomiting. Unable to leave the house. Migraines truly can be a debilitating experience, and can last hours to days, and might be accompanied by other neurological symptoms. The pain can be so bad that the suffering person remains still in a dark bedroom all day, as to not worsen the pain. Women and men both experience migraines, however females slightly outnumber males. Certain people have what is called a migraine with aura, meaning they might have a unique sensory experience either before or during the headache. An aura might be a bright flashing light in the visual field or a ringing in the ears. There is also migraine without aura which is more common in men.

Generally, when I first meet a person suffering from migraines, we take our time to discuss how often the headaches occur, what they feel like, what we’ve tried, and what lifestyle changes can decrease the triggers. Usually patients have attempted many things prior to their first consultations with me, however we take thorough inventory to know what has helped and hasn’t helped in the past.

Avoidance of triggers and optimization of oral medical therapy can assist in the reduction of migraines. Interestingly, certain headache medications can be overtaken which might actually worsen the migraines.

Fortunately, over the past decade, we have seen a variety of new approaches to treatment, including oral medications and other medications that can be administered at home to prevent or decrease the severity of migraines. Also, an interventional pain management specialist has certain procedures that can be performed which may even prevent the occurence of migraine headaches.

If you or someone you love is experiencing this debilitating condition, please call Dr Robert Bowers at Bellevue Pain and Wellness PLLC. Our practice would love to help you gain freedom from the pains that prevent us from living our lives to the fullest. 

Please call 425-998-7884 or visit us on our website at www.bellevuepainwellness.com or send us a message at www.bellevuepainwellness.com today. We are pleased to serve the Seattle Bellevue area and strive to be the premier pain clinic.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, we are offering telemedicine. Feel free to read into my thoughts on virtual doctor visits during the pandemic here: https://www.bellevuepainwellness.com/blog/telemedicine-a-virtual-approach-to-health-care

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