Patient's First Visit
At NeuroHealth, we believe the best outcomes are achieved through a multidisciplinary approach to care. Our care teams are made up of neurologists, nurse practitioners, nutritionists, and physical, occupational, speech and behavioral therapists.

A new patient should plan to spend three to four hours at the Headache Center during their initial visit. Here’s what you can expect from your care team:

1. Review complete medical and headache pain history. The first thing we’ll do is review the characteristics of your headaches—the location, frequency and duration. We’ll also explore your family medical history, sleep habits, environmental factors and other potential headache triggers. (Be sure to complete the patient medical history form and HIT-6™ Headache Impact Test, and bring both with you to your first appointment. Also bring the results of any recent tests or scans, and a headache diary if you have one.)

2. Conduct a physical and neurological exam. Your physician will conduct a neurological exam which includes evaluation of mental function, cranial nerves, motor/sensory function, reflexes, and walking and balance. He or she may also recommend diagnostic tests to rule out certain causes.

3. Conduct a preliminary psychological assessment. Depression is far more prevalent among people with headache disorders than it is in the general population. The psychiatrist on your patient care team will evaluate you for signs of anxiety and depression and assess your ability to cope with chronic pain. He or she can also help identify any stress-related or psychological triggers associated with your headache.

4. Conduct a nutritional assessment. Certain foods and eating habits can either trigger or aggravate headache symptoms. Your patient care team will evaluate your current diet and look for any correlation. 

5. Review previous and present headache therapies. Every headache sufferer is unique and responds differently to therapy. By focusing on what has or hasn’t worked for you in the past, your neurologist can begin to narrow the  field of prospective treatments.

6. Review Headache Workbook. Monitoring your pain and pattern is important in determining the optimal path of treatment. That means you as patient can and should play an active role in managing your own health. At NeuroHealth, we’ve designed a patient workbook to educate you about your disorder and what you can do to improve your quality of life. We encourage headache sufferers to keep a headache diary—you’ll find a sample in your workbook.

7. Map out a road to recovery. Our goal is to determine the cause of your headache pain and devise a plan to help you prevent and/or manage it. Accurate diagnosis is critical to formulating a successful treatment plan. Keep in mind that it may take several visits and specialized testing to arrive at a diagnosis. It may also take a combination of therapies and a period of trial and error before we find the ideal treatment plan for your specific disorder. Your first visit is the first step toward creating a customized treatment plan especially for you.