Women's Health: What Every Woman Should Know about Managing Migraines and Headaches with Dr. Krystal L. Culler

“It took my own brain misfiring to abruptly redirect my career path, but it was a true blessing in disguise. While finding tools to support my own brain care , I found an area that is of growing interest to many adults- brain health and wellness.” Meet today’s woman dreamer, Dr. Krystal L. Culler. She is the Founder of Virtual Brain Health Center; Chief Program Officer, Ziva Health, and a Senior Atlantic Fellow for Equity in Brain Health, Global Brain Health Institute. She share her personal health journey and expertise on managing migraines and headaches. Thank you to our Global Health Contributor, Priyanka Dharampuriya, for putting this interview together. Join us for another Women’s Health Wednesday!

By Priyanka Dharampuriya

Dr. Krystal L. Culler [Left] and Priyanka Dharampuriya [Right]

Tell me a little about your career trajectory. What inspired you to go into this field? What is a Doctor of Behavioral Health?

In my late twenties, it seemed that all roads led to the brain in one way or another. I was 27 years old when I had my seizure event and my “5-year plan” in graduate school went out the window. My mom was recently diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis and my grandmother, whom I was very close to, was nearing the end of her journey with Dementia. Women’s brain health issues were at the forefront of my personal life while I was pursuing a doctoral degree in cognitive aging.

It took my own brain misfiring to abruptly redirect my career path, but it was a true blessing in disguise. In about two years’ time, my brain and body healed from most of the trauma that stemmed from this isolated event, but I still have lingering effects that I manage today. While finding tools to support my own brain care and building from my graduate studies, I found an area that is of growing interest to many adults- brain health and wellness.

Luckily, the brain health and wellness field encompass many different things. I get to be a lifelong learner every day while building off my Doctorate in Behavioral Health (DBH) and training in the social sciences (psychology, gerontology, and sociology). As a DBH I am trained to deliver holistic healthcare to diverse communities and I have been fortunate to receive international, national, and personal awards for innovation in brain health services and community impact.

Although brain health and wellness are the fields I choose to work in, it is also personal as I must continuously work on my own brain care for my wellbeing every single day. I carry this forward to my work in striving to share brain care for all.

Now, I explore work, projects, and volunteer opportunities that align with my values and aim to make a positive contribution to others and the world. Together, through outstanding partnerships and collaborations, we can ensure everyone has the right tools and routines to live a brain-healthy life.

2. What type of work do you do at the Brain Health Center? How do you think virtual platforms affect health equity?

At the Virtual Brain Health Center, we aim to be a one-stop-shop for individuals looking for ways to understand brain health and wellness. We provide live, online classes with industry experts to individuals, groups, communities, and providers looking for ways to support their optimal brain care. We translate the latest research into actionable steps people can take in their daily lives to build a better brain.

We also offer a robust resource center for individuals looking for additional resources to support their personal brain care and free healthy brain check-ups (also known as memory screenings). We are known for providing additional educational resources including infographics on a wide variety of brain health related topics, blogs, and short videos. We offer a wide variety of free programs with our collaborative partners during Brain Awareness Week (March) and Active Aging Week (October).

The launch of our center was supported by a modest grant from Atlantic Philanthropies. As an Atlantic Fellow for Equity in Brain Health, the rapid response COVID-19 grant was available to help support my work in my local community, Northeast Ohio. I had previous experience operating a brick-and-mortar brain health center and wanted a way to support people during a time (the full or partial lockdown time for most countries) when brain health issues and concerns were rising especially for community-based service providers (libraries, senior centers, lifelong learning programs) and senior living communities.

I recognize the digital divide can impact direct access to our services with the use of technology, required devices, and an internet connection. Being a virtual center has helped us expand our reach to nearly every state in the United States, Australia, Canada, and over 55 countries across the world (including Europe, Asia, Africa, South America, Australia)- far beyond Northeast Ohio! The Center has also been able to create a supportive learning environment where we can partner with individuals and experts across the world, all looking to share brain care for all. I am so grateful for the individuals and groups who have welcomed our center into their home and lives as they take up the charge for better brain health.

3. What aspects of headaches would you like everyone to know? What are some common causes of headaches?

The term “headache” is used to refer to pain in any region of the head. Headaches can occur for a variety of reasons that include

lack of sleep or changes in sleep,
poor posture or muscle strain (head, neck, back, etc).
mood,
fatigue,
hormones,
stress (personal, family, work, school, etc.),
hunger, skipped meals, food sensitivities, or changes in diet,
caffeine (too much or too little),
alcohol consumption,
weather changes (barometric pressure, allergies, etc.),
environment (lights/glare, sounds, smells, etc.,)
physical activity or movement (too little or too much), and
side effect to many medications or medication overuse.

Headaches can commonly be alleviated with over-the-counter medications and self-care. Migraine disease and related headache disorders are brain-based, neurological diseases that are more than a headache with a wide variety of symptoms that impact the brain and body from head to toe. Migraine disease impacts 1 in 6 individuals and migraine disease presents differently for each person. Currently, individuals living with migraine disease manage a lifelong disease without a cure.

4. How does a person differentiate between a routine headache and a serious one? When should they go to the doctor?

If headaches are becoming more frequent or severe, it is commonly recommended to keep a headache diary that describes

pain intensity (rank the pain on a scale from 1-10),
description of the pain, (throbbing, stabbing, aching, dull/sharp, burning, etc.)
location(s) in the head or scalp,
other symptoms, and
duration (minutes, hours, time of day, etc.)

This helps identify possible patterns. This information can be helpful to your healthcare provider to rule out any underlying health conditions and to possibly make a headache related or migraine disease diagnosis (there are some worksheets or apps that help with tracking, too).

If a headache is

more severe than normal,
occurring more than normal,
causing a disruption to your daily life, and
not responding to over-the-counter medications,

In these cases, it would be ideal to speak with your healthcare provider. If a headache comes on suddenly or could be described as “the worst headache/pain of your life” seek medical attention immediately. Any type of pain is not normal and not all headaches are equal. Do not feel shy about talking head pain and headaches with your doctor. It is never too early to start a conversation about your own health and wellness with any provider that you see.