How An Online Doctor Can Work With You And Your Migraines

Pounding headaches. Nausea and vomiting. Visual disturbances that leave you unable to focus, let alone work or drive. If you suffer from migraines, you’re more than familiar with these debilitating symptoms. Each year in the U.S., approximately 1.2 million people visit the emergency room for migraine attacks, and yet, many of these people struggle to find migraine treatments that work for them long-term. Are you one of those people?

The constant shuffle from doctor’s office, to health food store, to emergency room — all with no concrete answers or solutions — is an all-too-common reality for many migraine sufferers. You need access to migraine treatments that really work for and with you, and that’s what working with an online doctor can provide. Here’s a closer look at how my patient-focused treatment model can help you manage your migraines and reclaim your life.

Specialized Care From a Qualified Doctor

When you go to the emergency room or your general practitioner’s office for a migraine, you see doctors trained as generalists. While they have a basic understanding of migraines and know how to treat the acute symptoms, they are rarely prepared to offer long-term solutions for chronic migraine sufferers and do not have the time to do so.

Frustrated with the lack of answers from medical professionals, you may turn to alternative health practitioners, such as acupuncturists or herbalists, for treatment. While these approaches may provide temporary relief from some, they’re generally not well-researched, backed by any evidence, and are often ineffective for the complex physiology of migraines.

As a trained neurologist who has spent years studying migraine headaches and treating migraine patients, I am able to formally diagnose migraines and offer specialized, evidence-backed treatment. Rather than taking a shot in the dark with home remedies that may or may not work, we use aggressive and effective treatments for fast and lasting relief.

An Effective and Holistic Approach

There is an array of very effective prescription medications available for the treatment of migraines. Some patients benefit from anticonvulsant medications, like Topamax or gabapentin, which calm overactive nerves in the brain. For others, calcium channel blockers or beta-blockers may be most effective. After discussing your medical history, symptoms, and concerns, I am able to prescribe a migraine medication that is suited to your personal needs with consideration of other medical issues.

Some patients are apprehensive to begin taking prescription drugs due to the risk of side effects. However, we’ll pay close attention to your health history and weigh the pros and cons to ensure that the benefits of any medication outweigh the risks. For the majority of migraine patients, prescription medications are the swiftest, surest path towards relief. My goal is to use the least amount of medicine for the shortest amount of time to “reset” the brain and allow it to remember what it is like to be pain free.

Migraine is a complex condition with many causes and contributing factors. As such, I take a holistic approach to migraine treatment. In other words, I aim to treat the whole patient, and not just your migraine symptoms. During your session, we will talk about your lifestyle and other health concerns that may be related to your migraines. We’ll explore lifestyle changes you can make, along with taking the prescribed medications, to help manage your migraine symptoms and reduce the frequency of attacks.

By the end of the appointment, I want you to have a good understanding of what a migraine really is, why you might be suffering from migraines, and how to treat a migraine. In subsequent appointments, we will talk about what is and is not working for you, and we’ll tweak your treatment plan as needed.

Affordable and Approachable

Even with insurance, healthcare costs can be backbreaking. Emergency room visits can cost thousands of dollars, even with insurance. Endless visits to your primary care doctor and the ER can leave you with a stack of scary bills. Many migraine patients avoid seeking treatment because they’re afraid of the cost, and by the time they finally drag themselves into the neurologist’s office, they’ve been suffering unbearably for years.

Working with an online migraine doctor to treat your migraines is more affordable and more approachable than this all-too-common, roundabout approach to care. You’re not waiting on a referral from your insurance company, and there are no surprise bills at the end of the visit. For $300, you get a half hour of my undivided attention; we’ll focus solely on your care and needs.

What’s more, you don’t have to take time off from work, drive across the city, or wait 6 months for an appointment. You can receive treatment from the comfort of your own home or office at a time that is convenient for you.

As a migraine sufferer, you deserve better. Experience online treatment with a trained Medical Doctor who knows how to treat a migraine using effective, evidence-based methods. Book your online telemedicine appointment with me, Dr. Risa Ravitz, and receive personalized care without the wait.