Patient Testimonials
My name is Maria and I have been a patient of Dr. Silverstein’s since August of 2005. He was recommended to me by another physician as a migraine specialist. Having been plagued with these agonizing, life-limiting headaches for too long, I reluctantly and warily agreed to yet another appointment with another doctor. In the past I had been seen by a neurologist for a short period of time as well - with minimal improvement.
Dr. Silverstein impressed me from the minute I stepped into his office. Putting me at ease with his easy-going manor, we began to talk. Before I knew it, more than an hour had passed and Dr. Silverstein had learned a great deal about my headaches, causes, and habits. Using this information he was able to develop my profile. He assured me that we would work together and we would be able to relieve my pain. I believed him. It didn’t happen overnight and I won’t tell you I never have a headache, but the days of migraine hell are a thing of the past. Using a combination of medications and interventions when necessary, I no longer fear waking up with the feeling of an ax in my head.
Dr. Silverstein is unique in that he is totally available to his patients at any time. Simply, he truly cares about his patients. I know I can call him at any time and he will help me.
I enthusiastically recommend the Westchester Headache Center. It works for me and it will work for you too.
Dr. Silverstein has been my 'headache' doctor since december of 2004.
Before seeing Dr. Silverstein I had been a patient of "The Headache Institute at St. Luke's Hospital", I had seen doctors in Westchester and more doctors in the city. It is safe to say that I had a migraine headache or some form of tension headache almost every day for 6 years. Before that I suffered from milder headaches but they just got worse with time until I was unable to function and my social life was very much dictated by the chronic pain.
Dr. Silverstein was the last hope on my list of doctors. The fact that he advertised that his practice was totally available to every patient and that he would help you every step of the way with taking new medications and help me deal with the side effects appealed to me and I gave it a shot. The first thing I vividly remembered was that he told me that he could help 90% of his patients. He gave me 3 hours of his time for the first visit to evaluate my history. I was very skeptical! No one had been able to help me so far and this doctor was going to be just like the rest of them!
I was wrong. The practice is run 24 hours for the patient and I was able to call anytime I had an adverse effect to any drug. At times, I needed to see the doctor on a Sunday because of severe migraines and Dr. Silverstein would do the procedures to help stop a migraine without all the pain medications that are prescribed too many times at emergency rooms. We realized through working together what triggered my migraines and after all those years, I am finally cutting back on my medicines.
Dr. Silverstein did bring my headaches under control, the pain was not controlling me any more and most importantly, I had met a doctor who truly understands the pain one deals with when suffering from migraines.
Dr. Silverstein gave me back the joy of living without chronic pain, I do get headaches sometimes but they are manageable and together with my doctor we are working on cutting back the medications and that is quite a success story in my view.
I would recommend Dr. Silverstein to anyone who wants a one on one doctor- patient experience. Anyone who wants a doctor who takes the time to listen to your ''headache' story and who truly understands and wants to be there for his patients every day of the week and knows that there is a light at the end of the tunnel.
I have been a patient of the Westchester Headache Center and Dr. Silverstein for over two years, and have had both my migraine headaches and my cranial nerve pain controlled almost entirely through the use of nerve block injections. The frequency of my headaches has gone from nearly daily pain to once or twice in a six week period. I have reduced my use or oral prescription drugs by 80%, and eliminated over-the-counter drugs almost totally. Dr. Silverstein takes a deep interest in the well-being of his patients, and makes personal phone calls to check on how things are progressing -something unheard of in today's medicine. He spends as much time as is needed during an appointment to treat you fully, and you never feel rushed because the next patient is waiting. I highly recommend the Westchester Headache Center and Dr. Silverstein for the treatment of any type of migraine or cranial pain you may be suffering.
When I first came to see Dr. Richard Silverstein, I was very frustrated with the limited options there seem to be out there to treat migraine as well as the fact that these options did not work for me. In the 2 years that I had suffered with increasingly severe migraine attacks, I thought I had tried everything: I kept a migraine diary to learn what activities and food to avoid, and I tried almost every medication: beta blockers, anti-depressives, Imitrex, Zomig… to no avail. No matter what I did, I continued to have monthly recurring severe headaches.
Dr. Richard Silverstein changed my life. During my initial phase of treatment with him when I did develop a particularly bad migraine headache Dr. Silverstein made himself available at any time of the day or night so that I might go to his office and receive emergency treatment for my migraine headaches by injections, intravenous fluids and medications as well as nerve blocks. In the past when I had gone to the emergency room for the emergent treatment of my migraine headaches I was simply given pain medication (which only temporarily masked my discomfort at best) and then I was sent home where more often than not my headache soon returned sometimes with a vengeance. By working with me he has managed to significantly decrease both the frequency and intensity of my migraine headaches - they now return in longer intervals than they did previously. He is a great observer and listener. I was very impressed by his ability to accurately diagnose my condition, to effectively treat it, and to find the important information in my diary to help me change my behavior to lower the frequency of attacks.
The frequency of my migraine attacks went down from 8-10 times every month to once and sometimes twice a month. I would recommend Dr. Silverstein to any migraine patient! It is a pleasure to have him as a physician.
I went to see Dr. Silverstein following a couple of failed attempts to get help from my general practitioner’s office. When I reported the severity of my headaches, which were preventing me from working and at times preventing me from simply standing up and walking around, my GP immediately sent me for a CAT scan. Once the technicians reported, “There’s nothing wrong with your brain,” they sent me on my way. The experience had been unpleasant, a little scary, and the headaches were as paralyzing as ever.
Then I found Dr. Silverstein. From the moment I stepped into his home office on the first day, the experience couldn’t have been more different. There was no rush to send me off for scary and intrusive exams. He performed a physical examination and he asked me questions about the pain. He has a sense of humor that is always present, and there is no mistaking the fact that he cares and wants to help. There is never that feeling one gets in a larger doctor’s office that one is being rushed through the cattle pens of waiting rooms and rows of examination rooms.
And, of course, most importantly of all, Dr. Silverstein correctly identified the source of the headache incredibly quickly and I was back at work, headache free, almost immediately. But that was certainly not the end. As a man who genuinely cares for his patients, Dr. Silverstein has called me at home simply to see how I’m feeling. I’ve been back for repeated check-ups, and though I’m thrilled to report that the headaches have never returned, it’s been comforting to know that he wants to stay in touch and monitor my condition.
Finally, there is no pressure with Dr. Silverstein. No pressure to take expensive exams; not even pressure to keep taking the medication he might prescribe at the same dose. It is very much an ongoing conversation between patient and doctor. He respects the patient’s need to be included in the process, and when I’ve wanted to shrink the dosage, he has only been agreeable. One works with Dr. Silverstein to find a solution, rather than simply being told, “Do this. Do that. I know best, so don’t ask questions.”
My job is one that involves a fair degree of pressure and stress, and I can honestly say that my visits to Dr. Silverstein have helped me find a better, healthier approach to that work. It wasn’t something I was looking for when I first went to see him about my headaches, but it has sure helped. Thank you, Doctor Silverstein.
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