Background
As many as 50 million Americans have chronic severe headaches that can be disabling. Headache infusion therapy is an alternative treatment option for patients with severe or refractory headaches. Infusion therapy refers to the intravenous (IV) administration of medications to treat and manage the symptoms of headache. Our infusion therapy is available on site on an outpatient basis during scheduled office hours in a quiet and comfortable atmosphere, in a non-emergency setting under the supervision of our neurologists.
Indication and Goal for the Infusion Therapy
Compared with the emergency department’s long and exhausting wait, our clinic can offer a wider range of effective and definitive treatments and offer headache patients maximum degree of success without the need to spend hours in the emergency department. Our general approach in our clinic is a far more cost- and time-effective mode of treating intractable headaches, which include refractory chronic migraines and medication overuse headaches as well.
Our goal is to develop a customized and individualized treatment plan based on the special needs of each patient to help them break the headache and to reduce headache intensity and frequency as well.
Process of the Infusion
Our neurologists and staff will determine your individualized program treatment plan. You will spend a minimum of 2 hours in the infusion area, depending on your treatment. While you are receiving treatment, you will be resting in a reclining lounge chair in a private room in our designated infusion area. Your vital signs will be checked on a frequent basis and the staff will make every effort to make you as comfortable as possible during your treatment.
Different medications will be administered, some will be used to treat your pain, and other type of medications will be used to treat you nausea or vomiting if you present with such symptoms.
You may have one adult visitor at a time during your treatment. You may bring a laptop computer with you if you wish to do so. Wi-Fi is available for you to use. We also encourage you to bring any reading material or to listen to soft music.
Post Infusion Therapy
It is recommended that you arrange for a family member or a friend to accompany you during the procedure. Plan to rest for the rest of the day to prevent headache recurrence. A return office visit appointment will be made for follow up. The patient is also encouraged to call at any time if any problems occur.
