Migraine Care in Southern Pines, NC
Providers who treat migraine: see credentials, insurance, and contact details before you ever call.
7 providers in Southern Pines
Southern Pines and Pinehurst together form the medical core of the Sandhills, a Moore County market shaped by a large retirement-age population. FirstHealth of the Carolinas operates the regional system; primary care, cardiology, orthopedics, and behavioral health all run deep here, supported by demand from a patient base that skews older than the state as a whole.
Medicare is the primary insurer for a large share of patients here. Most practices accept Medicare; supplemental and Medicare Advantage acceptance varies by plan. Confirm coverage before booking.
Understanding migraine
Migraine is a recurring headache disorder causing moderate to severe throbbing or pulsing pain, often on one side, frequently with nausea and sensitivity to light and sound. Attacks can move through phases: early warning signs up to a day before, aura (such as visual disturbances) for some people, the headache itself, and a post-attack washout day. Triggers vary from person to person: stress, lack of sleep, hormonal shifts, weather changes, certain foods such as chocolate, aged cheeses, or MSG, caffeine withdrawal, and alcohol. Pain medicine is a separate story. MedlinePlus describes rebound or medicine overuse headache as its own pattern, and puts the threshold at taking pain medicine more than 3 days a week on a regular basis. It is a different problem from the migraines you started with, and worth raising with a clinician rather than self-managing.
Care has two lanes: acute treatment to stop an attack that has started, and prevention to make attacks rarer, from trigger management and lifestyle steps to preventive medications a clinician can prescribe.
Finding the right provider
A primary-care provider can diagnose migraine, start treatment, and refer to a neurologist when attacks stay frequent or hard to control. Keeping a log of what seems to trigger your migraines is commonly suggested, and it gives the appointment something concrete to work from. ProviderQuoHealth shows each provider's credentials, accepted insurance, and accepting-new-patients status so you can compare before you call.
Some headaches are emergencies, not migraines, and the whole list below is an emergency list. Call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room for a headache that comes on suddenly and is explosive or violent, which can mean a ruptured blood vessel in the brain, and for stroke signs such as one side of the face drooping, one arm drifting down when both are raised, or slurred speech. Get emergency help for any one of these as well: your first-ever headache if it interferes with your day, a headache that is the worst ever, a headache with fever, stiff neck, nausea and vomiting, one that gets worse over 24 hours, one with slurred speech, vision changes, loss of balance, confusion, memory loss, or trouble moving an arm or leg, a headache that occurs with a head injury, severe pain in just one eye with redness in that eye, headaches that start for the first time after age 50, headaches with pain while chewing or weight loss, and a new headache if you have a history of cancer or a weakened immune system. If you are not sure how urgent it is, err toward the emergency room. Don't search a directory in an emergency.
Providers in Southern Pines
See all 7James Roger Nelson, MD
James Roger Nelson, MD, is a neurologist practicing in Southern Pines, NC. Dr. Nelson provides care for patients with neurological conditions and concerns.
Wood Element — Acupuncture
Wood Element Acupuncture provides acupuncture services in Southern Pines, NC. The practice focuses on acupuncture treatment to support patient wellness and health goals.
Susan Mckibben, LAC
Susan McKibben, LAc, provides acupuncture services in Southern Pines, NC. With expertise in acupuncture treatment, she offers care to patients seeking this traditional healing approach.
Stephanie Marie Mason, LAC DOM
Stephanie Marie Mason, LAc DOM, practices acupuncture in Southern Pines, NC. She brings credentials in both acupuncture and Oriental medicine to her practice.
Mitchell Drake Criswell, DTCM LIC AC
Mitchell Drake Criswell is a licensed acupuncturist offering acupuncture services in Southern Pines, NC. With credentials as a DTCM Lic Ac, Criswell brings professional expertise to this traditional healing practice.
Lance Allen, LAC
Lance Allen, LAc, offers acupuncture services in Southern Pines, NC. He is available to discuss your healthcare needs and treatment options.
Devoted Dawn Acupuncture, LLC — Acupuncture
Devoted Dawn Acupuncture, LLC provides acupuncture services in Southern Pines, NC. The practice focuses on acupuncture treatment to support patient wellness and health goals.
Common questions
How do I know it's migraine and not a regular headache?
Migraine tends to be moderate to severe, throbbing, often one-sided, and paired with nausea or sensitivity to light and sound; a clinician diagnoses it from your pattern and history. A headache log helps. This page is general education, not a diagnosis.
What's the difference between acute and preventive treatment?
Acute treatment stops an attack that has started; preventive care, from trigger management to daily preventive medication, aims to make attacks rarer and milder. Many people use both, and a clinician builds the mix.
When is a headache an emergency?
Treat this whole list as an emergency list. Call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room for a headache that comes on suddenly and is explosive or violent, or one with stroke signs like face drooping, arm weakness, or slurred speech. Get emergency help for any one of these as well: your first-ever headache if it interferes with your day, the worst headache you've had, a headache with fever, stiff neck, nausea and vomiting, one worsening over 24 hours, one with vision changes, confusion, memory loss, or trouble moving an arm or leg, a headache that occurs with a head injury, severe pain in one eye with redness, new headaches after age 50, headaches with pain while chewing or weight loss, and a new headache if you have a cancer history or a weakened immune system. If you are not sure how urgent it is, err toward the emergency room. Don't search a directory in an emergency.
Sources
- Migraine (MedlinePlus; verbatim: "Make a log of what seems to trigger your migraines") · reviewed 2025-11-20
- Headache (MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia; publisher last reviewed 2025-10-27, read end to end in a real browser by the author 2026-08-15. Its "When to Contact a Medical Professional" section is ONE list, not two, headed verbatim "Seek medical help right away for any of the following:"; the sentence "Call 911 or the local emergency number or go to the nearest emergency room" sits inside the explosive-onset item. This page presents that single list as a single emergency list for exactly that reason. Also verbatim, for the rebound-headache threshold: "People who take pain medicine more than 3 days a week on a regular basis can develop this type of headache") · reviewed 2025-10-27
- Stroke (MedlinePlus; F.A.S.T. and "call 911 or the local emergency number right away") · reviewed 2025-04-16
Important: Not Medical Advice
This information is provided for general educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or another qualified health provider with any questions you have about a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice, or delay seeking it, because of something you have read on ProviderQuoHealth. If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, call or text 988 to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, available 24/7. If you think you may have a medical emergency, call your doctor or 911 immediately.