Wouldn’t it be great is there were migraine specialists everywhere?

Unfortunately that’s not always the case, so here are some ideas on how to find the right doctors, or combination of doctors, to treat you and your unique migraine profile.

I consider myself a pretty good problem solver, as long as it’s someone else’s problem. A little bit of an amateur web-sleuth if you will. So when I sat down to begin building a resource guide for you, the migraine patient, I thought I would begin with the rankings in US News and World Report. I immediately turned to the internet’s version of a house call: Dr. Google. That’s when things took a turn.

There is no section dedicated to migraine specialists.

According to migraine.com, in the U.S., more than 38 million people suffer from migraines and more than 2-3 million are considered chronic. Are neurologists the right doctors? Is seeing a neurologist on its own enough?

I thought about my own situation and the litany of doctors I have seen; where I have landed, and how unique of an medical issue migraine is. And how misunderstood it is.

Migraine is a disease that affects the brain so it seemed logical to see a doctor that specialized in that area. So I began my migraine journey by seeing a neurologist, but that was not enough. So I am delving into some resources to get you started with the right kind of migraine doctor for you.
Are Neurologists the right doctors? Is seeing a neurologist on its own, enough? 

DOCTORS TO TREAT YOUR CHRONIC MIGRAINE
It is important to find a doctor that you can trust;one that you can get a hold of if there is an emergency and who lays out a treatment philosophy you can agree upon. Please note: depending on your type of migraine (ie, hemiplegic, ocular, vestibular) and possible contributing conditions, it is possible you may want to consider adding additional types of medical professionals to your team. ENTs, Primary Care Physicians, and chiropractors are just some of the doctors migraine patients rely on. So below is an organic listing of doctors that are board certified in headache medicine or have a history of providing quality care for patients with Migraine Disease. This gives you a good place to start.

In addition, I have found the following to be valuable resources for locating doctors that treat a variety of different kinds of migraine, and with many locations across the country represented.

Healthcare Provider Finder (National Headache Foundation)

And check out American Migraine Foundation find a doctor and their stellar list of treatment options.

Whether this is your first foray into looking for a doctor or you’ve been down this road many times, remember that your health is important and so are you. Speak up and and make sure you are heard.

Have a great migraine doctor who isn’t on our list? Contact us with their information so that we can add them!


Jenn Heater
A government affairs professional who is currently learning to focus on her health, Jenn is a former half-marathon walker with an adorable Yorkie, Gracie. She spends her time advocating for change, encouraging other chronic illness sufferers, and crafting! Find her online at medicallyodd.com or with her social media handle @Medical_Oddity!