What is a headache?

The medical term for any pain or ache in the head is cephalalgia. These aches and pains are not limited to the brain and skull, and may include any hard or soft tissue such as muscle, nerves, teeth, and bone. Cephalalgias can be aching, throbbing, stabbing, electrical, burning, or any combination of these qualities.

The vast majority of cephalalgias are not life-threatening, but they all have a negative impact on quality of life. During your initial exam, Dr. Cebula will thoroughly assess your pain complaints to determine an accurate diagnosis and an appropriate course of treatment. In most cases, pain management of the head and neck region typically involves pharmacy, physical therapy, and behavioral management.

What types of headaches do you manage?

Dr. Cebula is capable of managing most headaches classified by the International Headache Society (IHS) including migraine, tension-type headache, cluster headache, other trigeminal autonomic cephalalgias, medication-overuse headache, and headache attributed to TMJ disorder.

Secondary headaches, such as those caused by trauma, stroke, or a tumor can be identified rapidly through recognition of “red flags” with systemic symptoms, neurological signs/symptoms, onset, age, and prior history of symptoms. If a secondary cause is suspected, a referral will be made for appropriate imaging (CT or MRI) at a nearby emergency department.

I've been to several doctors already. How can you help me?

This is a question that is commonly asked, and the answer lies in the specialized post-graduate level training that Dr. Cebula received at the UCLA School of Dentistry. As a board-certified orofacial pain specialist, Dr. Cebula has been trained to perform a thorough health history and examination to provide a detailed assessment of your headache. Once an assesment has been made, the biopsychosocial model of pain management will be utilized to address both the sensory and emotional experience of your pain. It is this evidence-based method that has been shown to produce the best results for pain management.

The medical term for any pain or ache in the head is cephalalgia. These aches and pains are not limited to the brain and skull, and may include any hard or soft tissue such as muscle, nerves, teeth, and bone. Cephalalgias can be aching, throbbing, stabbing, electrical, burning, or any combination of these qualities.

The vast majority of cephalalgias are not life-threatening, but they all have a negative impact on quality of life. During your initial exam, Dr. Cebula will thoroughly assess your pain complaints to determine an accurate diagnosis and an appropriate course of treatment. In most cases, pain management of the head and neck region typically involves pharmacy, physical therapy, and behavioral management.

What types of headaches do you manage?

Dr. Cebula is capable of managing most headaches classified by the International Headache Society (IHS) including migraine, tension-type headache, cluster headache, other trigeminal autonomic cephalalgias, medication-overuse headache, and headache attributed to TMJ disorder.

Secondary headaches, such as those caused by trauma, stroke, or a tumor can be identified rapidly through recognition of “red flags” with systemic symptoms, neurological signs/symptoms, onset, age, and prior history of symptoms. If a secondary cause is suspected, a referral will be made for appropriate imaging (CT or MRI) at a nearby emergency department.

I've been to several doctors already. How can you help me?

This is a question that is commonly asked, and the answer lies in the specialized post-graduate level training that Dr. Cebula received at the UCLA School of Dentistry. As a board-certified orofacial pain specialist, Dr. Cebula has been trained to perform a thorough health history and examination to provide a detailed assessment of your headache. Once an assesment has been made, the biopsychosocial model of pain management will be utilized to address both the sensory and emotional experience of your pain. It is this evidence-based method that has been shown to produce the best results for pain management.