Headaches & Migraines

If you experience severe or recurring headaches, migraines, or facial pain, you may benefit from seeing an OU Health headache and migraine specialist. Our team provides comprehensive evaluation, diagnosis, and treatment options to help identify the cause of your symptoms and create a personalized care plan.

What Symptoms Can a Headache Cause?

Associated headache symptoms that may bring patients include:

• Dizziness or vertigo
• Loss of balance
• Vision changes or vision loss

• Neurologic symptoms such as numbness, weakness or difficulty speaking occurring with or without head pain

When Should You See a Doctor for a Headache?

There is a common misunderstanding that a migraine is simply a bad headache. However, a migraine is a chronic condition affecting the brain. Head pain is only one of the symptoms, and in some cases not present. Urgent symptoms of when to see a doctor for a headache include:

• New headache that does not improve
• Headaches that worsens despite over-the-counter medication
• Headache with neurologic symptoms
• Headache associated with fever
• Thunderclap headache – Sudden, severe headache often described as the “worst headache of my life”

Types of Headaches Treated:

Once you and your provider have identified your type of headache, we can work together to create a personalized treatment. We treat a variety of headaches, including:

• Chronic daily headache
• Exertional headache triggered by intense physical activity
• Hemicrania continua (HC)
• Paroxysmal hemicrania (PH)
• Hemiplegic migraine
• Migraines
• Post traumatic headache
• Pressure headache
• Tension-type headache

Headache & Migraine Treatment and Care

Evaluation tools may include:

• Brain imaging (MRI) when indicated
• Blood tests to identify underlying causes
• Lumbar puncture (spinal tap) to measure cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) pressure
• Spine imaging when appropriate

Medication-based Treatments

• Rescue (acute) headache medications
• A wide range of preventive medications

Procedural and Advanced Therapies

• Nerve blocks
• Botox® for headache management
• Referral for implanted nerve stimulators (when appropriate)

Non‑invasive Devices

• Cefaly® (over-the-counter nerve stimulation device)
• Vagal nerve stimulation devices like gammaCore™

Inpatient Treatment

OU Health offers Intravenous (IV) therapy for ongoing headaches, particularly migraines, for a fast-acting solution that can provide significant relief. IV therapy is beneficial for patients who experience severe or refractory migraines, as well as those with chronic migraine who need preventive treatment.

IV therapy involves administering a specialized blend of medications directly into the bloodstream, which can lead to rapid relief within 30 to 60 minutes. The IV therapy typically includes a combination of anti-inflammatory medications, anti-nausea medications, electrolytes, and vitamins, tailored to the patients’ specific needs.

This approach addresses the pain and targets the accompanying symptoms more efficiently than oral medication alone. IV therapy bypasses the digestive system, allowing for immediate absorption and effects, making it a beneficial option for those who cannot take oral medications due to nausea or vomiting.

Your Headache and Migraine Care Team

When you choose OU Health for headache and migraine treatment, you work with a team of specialty-trained healthcare providers who help you relieve pain in multiple ways. You and your care team will develop an individualized treatment plan tailored to your symptoms and needs.