Common symptoms
- Throbbing headache, often on one side
- Sensitivity to light, sound or smell
- Nausea or vomiting with headache
- Visual aura such as flashing lights or zigzag lines
- Headaches on 15 or more days per month
How Dr. Gao evaluates it
Most headaches are diagnosed through a careful history and neurological exam. Dr. Gao reviews the pattern, frequency and medications you have tried, and orders imaging only when warning signs suggest another cause.
Treatment
Treatment combines acute medication for attacks with preventive therapy when headaches are frequent. Options include oral preventive medications, newer migraine-specific therapies, lifestyle and trigger management, and BOTOX® injections, which are FDA-approved for adults with chronic migraine.
Frequently asked questions
Who qualifies for BOTOX® for migraine?
BOTOX® is FDA-approved for adults with chronic migraine, meaning headaches on 15 or more days a month. Dr. Gao will review your history to see whether it is a good fit and help with insurance authorization.
When is a headache an emergency?
Call 911 for a sudden, severe 'worst headache of your life', or a headache with weakness, confusion, trouble speaking, fever with stiff neck, or after a head injury.