Proper Diagnosis Helps Car Accident Survivor Live Headache Free
Gabriella Matos has very little memory of a car accident in 2018 that nearly killed her.
“I completely broke both legs, both arms. I had a headache every day,” says Gabriella.
Gabriella went to see Teshamae Monteith, M.D., a neurologist and Chief of UHealth’s Headache Division, part of the University of Miami Health System, who diagnosed her with post-traumatic headache disorder.
“It’s a headache that happens after a head injury. They may have memory problems, they may have imbalance, they may have double vision, they may have nausea and of course the head pain is a really common symptom,” Dr. Monteith says.
Dr. Monteith emphasizes it’s critical to get the right diagnosis in order to get the right treatment. Here at UHealth, Gabriella was put on a personalized plan often used for migraine and is now back to feeling more like herself.
“When someone like Gabriella presents with essentially a picture of chronic migraine after a head injury… you may want to avoid some of the other oral therapies and consider something like Botox injections. She went from having headache every day to very few headaches per month,” says Dr. Monteith.
“I was like, “Mommy, mommy, it’s been one week, and I have no pain!” Gabriella says.
Raising awareness about migraine
Dr. Monteith’s message during Migraine Awareness Month – it’s not just a headache.
“It’s a whole global initiative and the goal is really just to make people aware of migraine as a disease, as a neurological disease and not just a headache, not just a symptom of distress or some of the stigma that’s associated with having a headache,” Dr. Monteith says.
A true survivor, Gabriella is sharing her story to give others hope. She credits her family and the UHealth team for giving her back her life!
“I would say, “You guys are wonderful.” They care. I have been working a lot with my family to get better little by little. It took years. It did not happen all quickly as people believe. No, it takes time. But when you have a good family, it’s incredible how much they can help you,” says Gabriella.
Video transcript compiled by Janna Ross for ‘Focusing on You: Innovations in Modern Medicine,’ a series of healthcare-related stories airing regularly on ABC-Miami Channel 18. For more stories like this one, visit UHealth’s YouTube channel.
Tags: Dr. Teshamae Monteith, focusing on you, headache, headache specialist, migraine, neurologist, post-traumatic headache, traumatic brain injury
