Above: Patient Desma Golden and neurologist Dr. Victor Wang, Sutter East Bay Medical Group Comprehensive Headache and Facial Pain Center

 

From debilitating daily pain to newfound clarity, one patient’s journey through Sutter East Bay Medical Group’s Comprehensive Headache and Facial Pain Center.

by Pooja Nerkar, Vitals contributor

According to the National Center for Health Statistics, nearly 1 out of every 6 Americans suffers from migraine attacks or severe headaches. Globally, migraine is the number one cause of disability for women of reproductive age, and headache disorders are the number two cause of years lived with disability. Women are disproportionately affected, with more than twice the incidence seen in men, significantly impacting work, mobility and daily routines.

For Oakland, Calif. resident Desma Golden these statistics represent a lived reality.

For more than 40 years, Golden dealt with debilitating pain that felt, as she describes it, “like a hot iron rod pressing through my head.” She began experiencing headaches at the age of 15, and over time the pain became so severe that, she says, “some days it was so bad I couldn’t even stand upright.”

After years of misdiagnoses and limited relief, the 58-year-old eventually found answers at Sutter East Bay Medical Group’s Comprehensive Headache and Facial Pain Center.

A Lifelong Teacher Turned Patient Advocate

Before her diagnosis, Golden spent nearly two decades working as an intervention specialist with the Oakland Unified School District, supporting middle and high school students.

“Even with my chronic illness, I kept working,” she says. “But eventually the pain made it impossible to keep up.”

In 2023, she paused her career to pursue a behavioral-health certification, and to finally focus on her own health. Yet, the headaches intensified. She was misdiagnosed for years and prescribed opioids that dulled her senses but never addressed the underlying cause.

“I worked hard to get off narcotics,” she says. “They made me loopy and tired. I wanted doctors who would listen, not just hand me more pills.”

That turning point came when she met Dr. Sepehr Rejai, a pain management specialist with Sutter East Bay Medical Group, who recognized that Golden’s pain pattern pointed to chronic migraine, not generalized pain.

“When Dr. Rejai gave me my first occipital injection, I cried,” she remembers. “It released so much pressure from the back of my head. For the first time in decades, I felt relief.”

Comprehensive Care and Compassion

Following her diagnosis, Golden began care under neurologist Dr. Victor Wang, nurse practitioner Aryn Earnhardt, who co-leads the program with Dr. Wang, and neurologist Dr. Santosh Bhaskarabhatla. Together, the team developed a personalized plan combining Botox therapy, monthly IV infusions and preventive medications.

Every month Golden spends three days in infusion therapy, four hours at a time, to manage her symptoms. While the pain hasn’t disappeared entirely, the improvement has been life changing.

“Going from a pain level 12 to a 7 might not sound like much, but for me, it means I can think clearly again, go back to school and even dream about working part-time.”

The clinic’s approach emphasizes holistic-person care, addressing the physical, emotional and social toll of chronic migraine.

“We focus on treating the whole patient, not just the headache,” says Dr. Wang. “That means understanding how pain affects sleep, work, family, and mental health and tailoring treatment to meet patients where they are.”

“Chronic migraine isn’t one-size-fits-all,” adds nurse practitioner Earnhardt. “Our goal is to create sustainable, personalized treatment plans that help patients regain control of their lives.”

Setbacks, Surgery, and Overcoming Adversity

In early 2024, Golden faced another hurdle: severe spinal pain requiring multiple surgeries. Even then, she refused to let pain define her.

“To look at me, you can’t tell what I’m going through, and I won’t let you,” she says. “The world isn’t going to adjust to me. I have to adjust to it.”

Her family has learned to recognize her resilience with empathy and humor. “They call me the ‘weather girl,’ because if my head hurts, it’s going to rain,” she jokes. “They know my limits, and they support me through everything.”

Healing Together

Every six weeks, Golden joins a chronic migraine shared medical appointment led by Dr. Wang. The sessions provide a safe space for patients to share experiences and encouragement.

“I’m usually the one listening, not talking,” Golden says. “But Dr. Wang has done so much for me that I wanted to give back.”

Today, she is working toward her bachelor’s degree in social work, determined to help families and children navigate the same complex healthcare systems she’s learned to manage.

“I know why I’m going through this,” she says. “It’s so I can help others when they go through it, too.”

A Message of Hope

Thanks to the integrated care at Sutter East Bay Medical Group’s Comprehensive Headache and Facial Pain Center, Golden has regained clarity, confidence, and a renewed sense of purpose.

“Dr. Wang treats the whole person, not just the pain,” she says. “That’s what changed everything. He listens and helps us find real solutions.”