Useful Management Information

Medical management

  • Manage migraine – acute pain treatment, dietary advice, hormone management and or preventive medications trial for at least 2-3 months
  • Tension/cervicogenic headaches – simple analgesia, massage, physiotherapy review
  • Consider ELFT FBC ESR CRP in patients at risk for a systemic cause for headaches
  • Consider neuroimaging to exclude intracranial pathology
  • Consider medication overuse headache if patient using large amounts of over-the-counter analgesics such as aspirin, opioids, paracetamol and/or caffeine
  • Social modifiers - impact to ADLs

Minimum Referral Criteria

Category 1
  • Abnormal neurological exam with concerning features on neuroimaging (new onset headache)
  • Severe/acute trigeminal Neuralgia with inability to eat
Category 2
  • Severe frequent headaches and trial of at least 3 migraine preventive medications without improvement (list 3 treatments trialled)
Category 3
  • Chronic/complicated headache/migraine unresponsive to medical management

If your patient doesn't meet the minimum referral criteria

  • If the patient does not meet the criteria for referral but the referring practitioner believes the patient requires specialist review, a clinical override may be requested:
    • Please explain why (e.g. warning signs or symptoms, clinical modifiers, uncertain about diagnosis, etc.)
  • Please note that your referral may not be accepted or may be redirected to another service

Essential Referral Information

  • Medication history, including non-prescription medications, herbs and supplements
  • List all treatments trialled (at least three, maximum dosage tried) and reasons for failure

Additional Referral Information

  • ELFT, FBC, ESR, CRP results
  • ECG tracing (if available)
  • Neuroimaging results (MRI preferable)
Published 23 April 2021

Send Referrals To

Smart Referrals
Electronic referrals integrated into existing GP practice software.

Service Availability

Dr Arman Sabet

If you would like to send a named referral, please address it to the specialist listed above, who will allocate a suitably qualified specialist to see the patient. Alternatively you can view a full list of our specialists.

Gold Coast Health - For Clinicians
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