Headache Diagnosis & Treatment

If you have frequent or severe headaches, it may be a warning signal of a more serious illness. You need the care and expertise of a specialized group of physicians who work together quickly, as a team to diagnose and treat your condition.

Headache Diagnosis

If you experience any of the following headache symptoms, get to the emergency room immediately for diagnosis and treatment:

• Sudden or severe headache
• Headache combined with:
• Confusion or difficulty understanding people talking to you
• Fainting
• High fever: greater than 102°F to 104°F
• Numbness, weakness or paralysis on one side of your body
• Stiff neck
• Difficulty seeing
• Difficulty talking
• Difficulty walking
• Nausea or vomiting (if not clearly due to the flu or a hangover)

You should also schedule a doctor’s appointment for diagnosis and treatment if your headaches are:

• More often than usual
• More severe than usual
• Worse or not improving with appropriate use of over-the-counter drugs
• Preventing you from working, sleeping or doing normal activities
• Concerning you, and you would like to find treatment options that let you to control them better

Headache Diagnostic Tests

Depending on your symptoms, the headache specialists at The University of Vermont Medical Center may have you take some tests to help determine what is causing your headaches and how to treat them.  Tests could include any of the following:

• Medical history
• Physical examination
• Computed tomography (CT) scans
• Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the head

Headache Treatment in Burlington, VT

Headache treatment is completely dependent on your diagnosis, but some options include:

• Dietary changes
• Medications
  
• Lifestyle changes
• Behavioral therapy
• Physical therapy
• Acupuncture

Find a doctor or specialist at The University of Vermont Medical Center or call 802-847-4589.