Overview

Overview

The Headache and Facial Pain Center at Cleveland Clinic stands as one of the leading centers dedicated to the management and treatment of headache and facial pain for adult and pediatric patients. As one of the largest and most comprehensive centers, we are dedicated not only to providing exceptional treatment but also to enhancing our patients' lives through personalized and compassionate care.

Comprehensive and Individualized Care

Our center features a diverse team of clinicians committed to providing individualized attention to each patient. Recognizing that every patient is unique, we tailor personalized treatment plans.  With extensive resources and innovative care models, we ensure the highest quality of care possible.

Innovative Care Models

We leverage state-of-the-art technologies and methodologies to deliver effective treatments. Our environment encourages patients to actively participate in their healthcare, fostering collaboration with their providers and offering comprehensive education. Our innovative care models include:

  • Personalized Plans: Tailored approaches based on the unique needs of each patient.
  • Multidisciplinary Care: Our center emphasizes collaboration among various specialists to ensure comprehensive and integrated treatment for our patients.
  • Virtual Treatment Options: Expanding access to care through telemedicine and virtual visits.
    • Virtual Shared Medical Appointments: Provides comprehensive education to newly diagnosed patients and those looking to enhance their knowledge of their migraine condition. These sessions emphasize lifestyle management, understanding triggers, and the appropriate use of medications to treat migraines.
    • Online Headache Education Program: A comprehensive eight-session online, virtual visit program that helps patients better manage their headache disorders by understanding causes and triggers. Patients learn techniques and strategies to improve everyday quality of life.
  • Headache Reboot Program: A one-week program for refractory adult patients that includes infusion therapy to reduce pain, physical and occupational therapy to restore function and increase activity, and psychological group sessions to educate on symptom management, prevention, and coping strategies.

Cutting-Edge Treatment Options

Our comprehensive treatment options reflect our commitment to offering the most advanced and effective therapies available (note: some treatment options are not approved for pediatric patients). These include:

  • Onabotulinum Toxin A for Migraine and Trigeminal Neuralgia: A proven treatment for reducing the frequency and severity of headaches and facial pain.
  • Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide (CGRP) Inhibitors: Novel targeted migraine therapies for acute and preventing migraine treatment.
  • Ketamine Infusions for Headache and Face Pain: An innovative option for managing severe pain which is refractory to traditional treatments.
  • Occipital Nerve Blocks: Relieves chronic migraine and headache pain by targeting the occipital nerves.
  • Neuromodulation: Use of devices to alter nerve activity to reduce pain and improve quality of life without medications.
  • Psychological Treatment: Includes cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and other approaches to address the emotional and psychological aspects of chronic pain.
  • Outpatient Infusion Suites: A nine-chair suite dedicated to intravenous infusions for headache patients, aiming to provide urgent and effective treatment and prevent unnecessary emergency room and hospital visits.

Clinical and Outcomes Research

We are at the forefront of clinical and outcomes research, continually advancing our understanding and treatment of headache and facial pain. Our research initiatives include:

  • Clinical Research: Focused on conditions such as migraine, cluster headache, trigeminal neuralgia and facial pain.
  • Translational Research: We prioritize translational research to bridge the gap between scientific discoveries and clinical applications, utilizing decades of outcomes data.

Dedication to Improvement

Our mission is to continually seek new and improved ways to alleviate the burden of headache and facial pain. Through our extensive clinical resources, innovative care models, and commitment to research, we strive to improve the quality of life for our patients.

For more information or to schedule an appointment, please visit our website or contact our office directly.

Contact Information

Emad Estemalik, MD, MBA
estemae@ccf.org 

Publications

Publications

Medical cannabis patterns of use and substitution for opioids & other pharmaceutical drugs, alcohol, tobacco, and illicit substances; results from a cross-sectional survey of authorized patients. Lucas P, Baron EP, Jikomes N. Harm Reduct J. 2019 Jan 28;16(1):9. doi: 10.1186/s12954-019-0278-6. PMID: 30691503; PMCID: PMC6350348.

Clinical Skills Evaluation in Neurology, Child Neurology and Psychiatry: Program Directors' Perspective and Future Opportunities. Abbatemarco JR, Juul D, Vondrak P, Mays MA, Willis MA, Faulkner LR. Med Sci Educ. 2020 May 1;30(2):849-854. doi: 10.1007/s40670-020-00961-w. PMID: 34457741; PMCID: PMC8368539.

Clinical and radiographic resolution of multifocal brain abscesses secondary to Fusobacterium. Mulpur B, Migdady I, Mays M. Neurology. 2020 Oct 20;95(16):749-750. doi: 10.1212/WNL.0000000000010732. Epub 2020 Sep 1. PMID: 32873688.

Acute ischemic stroke and COVID-19. Hassett C, Gedansky A, Mays M, Uchino K. Cleve Clin J Med. 2020 Nov 20. doi: 10.3949/ccjm. 87a.ccc042. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 32493736.

Outcomes of microvascular decompression for trigeminal neuralgia with purely venous compression: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Soni P, Potter T, Soni PP, Estemalik E, Recinos PF, Kshettry VR. Clin Neurol Neurosurg. 2020 Nov;198:106230. doi: 10.1016/j.clineuro.2020.106230. Epub 2020 Sep 11. PMID: 32949856.

The Efficacy and Use of a Pocket Card Algorithm in Status Epilepticus Treatment. Fesler JR, Belcher AE, Moosa AN, Mays M, Jehi LE, Pestana Knight EM, Lachhwani DK, Alexopoulos AV, Nair DR, Punia V. Neurol Clin Pract. 2021 Oct;11(5):406-412. doi: 10.1212/CPJ.0000000000000922. PMID: 34840867; PMCID: PMC8610498.

Myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG) antibodies in a patient with glioblastoma: Red flags for false positivity. Amin M, Mays M, Polston D, Flanagan EP, Prayson R, Kunchok A. J Neuroimmunol. 2021 Dec 15;361:577743. doi: 10.1016/j.jneuroim.2021.577743. Epub 2021 Oct 8. PMID: 34695769.

Changes in acute headache medication use and health care resource utilization: Results from a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial evaluating galcanezumab in adults with treatment-resistant migraine (CONQUER). Ambrosini A, Estemalik E, Pascual J, Rettiganti M, Stroud C, Day K, Ford J. J Manag Care Spec Pharm. 2022 Jun;28(6):645-656. doi: 10.18553/jmcp.2022.21375. Epub 2022 Apr 22. PMID: 35451858.

Prevalence of Somatosensory Tinnitus in Veterans With Tinnitus. Theodoroff SM, McMillan GP, Frederick MT, Random C, Thielman E, Vergis S, Cherian K, Cherian N. Ear Hear. 2022 Sep-Oct 01;43(5):1593-1596. doi: 10.1097/AUD.0000000000001210. Epub 2022 Feb 24. PMID: 35234171.

Impacts of Climate Change and Air Pollution on Neurologic Health, Disease, and Practice: A Scoping Review. Louis S, Carlson AK, Suresh A, Rim J, Mays M, Ontaneda D, Dhawan A. Neurology. 2023 Mar 7;100(10):474-483. doi: 10.1212/WNL.0000000000201630. Epub 2022 Nov 16. PMID: 36384657; PMCID: PMC9990849.

Use of combined hormonal contraception and stroke: A case-control study of the impact of migraine type and estrogen dose on ischemic stroke risk. Batur P, Yao M, Bucklan J, Soni P, Suneja A, Farrell R, Mays M. Headache. 2023 Jun;63(6):813-821. doi: 10.1111/head.14473. Epub 2023 Feb 8. PMID: 36752588.

OnabotulinumtoxinA for trigeminal neuralgia treatment. Suneja A, Piccinin M, Estemalik E, Mays M, Soni PP. Practical Neurology (US). 2024;23(4):15-17.