Chronic Migraines

Dr. Kim, NeuPath Centre for Pain & Spine Medical Director, on Chronic Migraines 

A Chronic Migraine is defined as having at least 15 headache days a month of which at least 8 episodes present with migrainous symptoms lasting 4 or more hours per day. At NeuPath, our goal is to provide a comprehensive Chronic migraine assessment and develop an individualized patient focused treatment plan. I’ve treated Chronic migraines for many years at NeuPath and most of my patients benefit from a treatment plan that includes the following interventions:

• Address avoidance of triggering factors for migraines and discuss about overuse of medications for acute relief
• Focus attention on preventive, prophylactic treatment with a number of different classes of medications
• Local injection-based therapy using local anesthetics targeting nerves and pain generating structures in the face, head and neck
• Therapeutic Botox for sustained duration of improvement from symptoms
• New generation of CGRP receptor antagonists that are given as injectables or oral preparations

Patient outcomes will vary based on the individual but the best outcomes happen when the individual also addresses psychological factors, diet, and activity.