FDA-cleared · Non-invasive · Calabasas
GammaCore Vagus
Nerve Therapy (VNS)
Drug-free relief for migraine and cluster headache.
If migraines, cluster headaches, or post-concussion headaches have been interrupting your work, sleep, and confidence, your symptoms are real — and you deserve a careful explanation before anyone hands you another treatment. Dr. Alireza Chizari, DC, DACNB, our board-certified functional neurologist, uses GammaCore as part of a thoughtful, non-invasive plan when it’s clinically appropriate — never as a shortcut.
The quick, honest answer
What GammaCore is — in 30 seconds
What it is
Handheld vagus nerve stimulation
A portable, FDA-cleared device that gently stimulates the vagus nerve through the skin of the neck — no medication, injections, surgery, or implant.
Who it may help
Headache & autonomic patterns
Patients with migraine, cluster headache, some post-traumatic headaches, and selected autonomic nervous system patterns. It’s not a cure-all — candidacy is individual.
Best next step
Clarity, not guesswork
Request a personalized neurological and functional evaluation in Calabasas. We review your history, triggers, and goals before discussing whether GammaCore belongs in your plan.
The vagus nerve
One nerve, many connections
The vagus nerve is one of the major communication pathways between the brain, brainstem, heart, gut, immune system, and autonomic nervous system. When the nervous system is under stress, pain pathways can become more reactive — contributing to migraine activity, cluster patterns, post-concussion headache, light sensitivity, dizziness, nausea, and that “wired but drained” feeling.
GammaCore delivers mild, targeted electrical stimulation to the vagus nerve through the skin of the neck. By stimulating it externally, GammaCore may help modulate the body’s pain response in selected patients — without medication or an implanted device. It’s never a standalone shortcut here: Dr. Chizari looks at the broader picture — eye movements, balance, vestibular function, autonomic regulation, cognitive load, and posture.
The science of VNS
How vagus nerve stimulation may help
Careful language matters here — these are mechanisms VNS may influence in selected patients, used correctly and consistently.
Interrupts Pain Signals
May help interrupt overactive pain signals in the brainstem pathways associated with migraine and cluster headache.
Supports Autonomic Balance
May influence sympathetic and parasympathetic regulation — relevant when autonomic dysregulation is part of the picture.
A Non-Drug Option
Offers a medically guided adjunct for patients who can’t tolerate certain medications or want to reduce reliance on them.
Reduces Neurovascular Irritation
May reduce neurovascular irritation in some headache patterns when used consistently and appropriately.
Watch
See GammaCore in action
During a visit, patients receive a brief neurological assessment plus a hands-on demonstration — how GammaCore sends a gentle signal to the vagus nerve to help calm pain pathways, without drugs or sedation.
Who it may help
Patterns GammaCore may be considered for
Especially relevant when symptoms are recurring, disruptive, hard to predict, or not fully controlled with your current approach — and when you want a non-invasive option that fits a broader plan.
Episodic & Chronic Migraine
Recurring migraine patterns, with or without aura, that disrupt daily function
Cluster Headache
Cyclical, severe attacks — often with tearing, nasal symptoms, and restlessness
Post-Traumatic Headache
Headaches after concussion or TBI — often alongside dizziness, visual fatigue, and brain fog
Dysautonomia
When autonomic regulation — heart rate, temperature, that fight-or-flight activation — is part of the symptom picture
Visual & Motion Sensitivity
Light and sound sensitivity, visual fatigue, and screen intolerance that flare with busy environments
Medication-Overuse Headache
For patients seeking to reduce reliance on rescue medication with a medically guided adjunct
GammaCore is often integrated with headache & migraine care, concussion treatment, and dysautonomia management — depending on your findings.
The pathway
Organized, transparent, personal
You remain the hero of the story — the clinic acts as the guide, providing testing, education, and honest feedback along the way.
Listen carefully
Your story: symptoms, triggers, frustration, previous care, and what you want life to feel like again.
Evaluate neurology
Visual, vestibular, autonomic, cognitive, cervical, and balance findings — before making any recommendation.
Match the plan
If GammaCore fits, we explain timing, placement, frequency, safety, and how it supports the larger plan.
Add rehabilitation
When needed: vestibular, cognitive, neuroplasticity, or autonomic rehabilitation strategies.
Track progress
Symptom frequency, intensity, triggers, recovery time, functional goals, and tolerance to daily life.
Part of a bigger plan
Some patients need more than headache relief
They need their nervous system to tolerate daily life again — driving without dizziness, working on a computer without flaring, sleeping predictably, handling busy places without feeling overwhelmed. When clinically appropriate, GammaCore is combined with:
- Vestibular rehabilitation and cognitive rehabilitation
- PEMF, LLLT, and HBOT when indicated
- The full-spectrum NeuroRevive Program for autonomic and cognitive gains
Safety first
Realistic expectations — and when to seek urgent care
Responsible care means being honest: not every patient responds the same way, and results depend on diagnosis, timing, consistency, and nervous-system status.
Reasonable goals to discuss
- Fewer headache days and lower pain intensity
- Shorter attacks and less reliance on rescue medication
- Improved tolerance to light and movement
- More confidence managing symptoms day to day
These are reasonable to discuss — but measured individually, never assumed. GammaCore should also be reviewed carefully if you have implanted electrical devices, pacemakers, metallic implants near the neck, or significant carotid artery disease.
Seek urgent medical care — do not use the device — for
- The sudden “worst headache of your life”
- New weakness, facial drooping, or speech difficulty
- Fainting, chest pain, or severe neck trauma
- Fever with a stiff neck, or a new seizure
- A headache dramatically different from your usual pattern
Call emergency services or seek urgent attention. GammaCore is not a substitute for emergency care.
A realistic patient story
When the headache was only part of the story
A patient came to Dr. Chizari with recurring post-concussion headaches, dizziness, light sensitivity, and a deep fear that life would never feel normal again. Rest, medication changes, and less screen time hadn’t stopped the symptoms from returning whenever work got busy or the environment got visually demanding. The evaluation showed the headaches were only part of the story — there were also signs of vestibular stress, visual fatigue, and autonomic overactivation. GammaCore became one part of the plan, not the whole plan, alongside vestibular rehabilitation, neuroplasticity work, and careful pacing. Over time: fewer severe flare-ups, more confidence driving short distances, and a steadier tolerance for daily life.
You are not behind in your recovery. You may simply need a clearer map.
Common questions
Frequently asked questions
Is GammaCore FDA-cleared and safe?
Yes — GammaCore is an FDA-cleared, non-invasive vagus nerve stimulator. Because it still interacts with the nervous system, it’s used only after a safety screening. It should be discussed carefully if you have implanted electrical devices, a pacemaker, certain metallic implants near the neck, or significant carotid artery disease.
How is GammaCore used — during attacks or to prevent them?
Both roles are possible. Sessions are usually brief, involving stimulation on the side of the neck for a limited time. Some patients use it acutely during an attack, some preventively, and some in combination with other therapies — the right approach depends on your diagnosis and clinician’s guidance.
Will GammaCore replace my headache medication?
Not necessarily. GammaCore is a drug-free option that may serve as an adjunct or reduce reliance on rescue medication over time, but it isn’t automatically a replacement. Never stop or change prescribed medication without consulting your prescribing physician — we coordinate with your medical team when appropriate.
Why do I need an evaluation before using the device?
Because the same headache label can have different drivers. We first ask what type of headache or neurological pattern is present, whether there are vestibular findings or a concussion history, and whether medications, implants, or vascular issues are relevant. Those answers guide safe, appropriate use.
How is progress measured?
In practical terms — fewer lost days, better tolerance to light and sound, improved balance, more predictable energy, fewer emergency-medication moments, and more confidence in daily routines. The deeper goal is function, not just fewer symptoms.
Decide safely
The right plan should make you feel
informed, not pressured.
If headaches, post-concussion symptoms, dizziness, brain fog, or autonomic symptoms are affecting your life, you don’t have to guess whether GammaCore is right for you. A personalized evaluation clarifies your options and builds a plan around your actual nervous-system findings — that’s how Dr. Chizari begins with every patient.
California Brain & Spine Center · 4768 Park Granada, Ste 107, Calabasas, CA 91302 · Serving Southern California