Headaches Specialist

Thomas Synek, MD

Interventional Pain Management Specialists located in Spring, TX

While nearly everyone has a headache from time to time, chronic or very painful headaches need medical attention. At the office of pain management specialist Thomas Synek, MD, you can find long-lasting relief of head pain from chronic migraines, recurrent tension headaches, and cluster headaches. Dr. Synek offers Botox® therapy and other advanced treatments to tame or prevent painful headaches and migraines. To learn more about the available solutions for headaches, call the Spring, Texas, pain management office or book a consultation online today.

 Headaches Q & A

What causes headaches?

Headaches are one of the most common types of pain people experience throughout their life. Dr. Synek can diagnose and treat different types of headaches, including:

Tension headaches

Tension headaches cause a dull ache all over your head and increased sensitivity around your forehead and neck. This type of headache is often the result of stress and overly tight muscles in your neck and shoulders.

Migraines

Migraines cause intense head pain that can last for several hours or days. You usually feel pain only on one side of your head and may also become more sensitive to light and sounds.

In some cases, migraine pain is so intense, it causes nausea and vomiting.

Cluster headaches

Cluster headaches cause severe, piercing pain and burning sensations in your head (usually behind the eye) and in your face.

This type of headache occurs in clusters, usually developing 1-4 times a day around the same time. Pain can last several minutes or hours and occur daily for months at a time.

Sinus headaches

Sinus headaches cause pain in the front of your head and in the back of your eye. People with seasonal allergies experience this type of headache because of the buildup of mucus and inflammation in the sinuses.

Sinus infections can also cause recurrent sinus headaches.

You should schedule a diagnostic evaluation at the office of Thomas Synek, MD, for any type of recurrent or severe headache that you can’t treat on your own.

How are headaches diagnosed?

During your diagnostic evaluation for headaches, Dr. Synek spends time understanding your symptoms and the frequency and duration of your headaches. He may also ask questions about the activities you do or the foods you eat just before the headaches begin.

To rule out certain diseases that can cause headaches, Dr. Synek may request a neurological exam. He can also use the on-site computed tomography (CT) scan technologies to get a closer look at your sinus cavity and other areas of your head to identify abnormalities that contribute to headaches.

How are headaches treated?

If over-the-counter medications aren’t enough to treat your headaches or migraines, Dr. Synek can prescribe medications. He focuses on managing headaches without controlled substances.

To treat chronic migraines, Dr. Synek may recommend Botox® therapy, which involves injections of a purified form of a botulinum toxin into areas of your scalp to disrupt pain signals from traveling to the brain. Botox also relaxes the muscles that contribute to headache pain.

Xeomin® works similarly to Botox to treat migraines, and regular injections of these prescription medications can also prevent migraines from occurring.

Dr. Synek helps you identify headache triggers as well. He can recommend techniques like meditation to help you relax, so you can prevent tension headaches, migraines, and other types of headaches.

If you need help managing recurrent headaches or painful migraines, call the office of Thomas Synek, MD, to schedule a consultation, or book an appointment online today.