How to find a headache specialist

If your headaches keep coming back or your medicine isn't helping, someone may tell you, “You should see a headache specialist.” In Australia, the path to a specialist usually starts with your GP. You need a GP referral to get a Medicare rebate, and costs and waiting times depend on whether you go private or to a public hospital clinic. This article explains who treats headaches, when a specialist is worth it, how referrals, costs and telehealth work, and how to search.

Who treats headaches

For most people, the first stop is a GP. Your GP can diagnose migraine by talking with you and examining you, help with treatment, and refer you to a specialist if needed. For the basics of the condition, see what migraine is.

A headache specialist is a doctor who focuses on headache disorders. In Australia, most are neurologists. A neurologist is a specialist physician who diagnoses and treats conditions of the brain, spinal cord and nerves. Some pain medicine specialists also treat headache.

Australia doesn't have a separate specialty or certificate in headache medicine. The Medical Board of Australia's list of medical specialties includes neurology and pain medicine, but not headache medicine. Many doctors with a special interest in headache belong to the Australian and New Zealand Headache Society (ANZHS), a not-for-profit society of clinicians and researchers, mostly neurologists. Membership shows an interest in headache. It isn't a qualification. Some major hospitals also run headache or pain clinics, which generally need a GP referral.

Migraine is common, so for many people, care starts and continues with a GP, and seeing a specialist takes some planning.

When is it worth seeing a specialist?

Your GP may suggest a specialist, or you can ask for a referral. Common reasons include:

• Your headaches are becoming more frequent, or you have them on 2 or more days a week.
• You have headaches on 15 or more days a month, which can be a sign of chronic migraine.
• Treatments haven't helped, or their side effects were hard to tolerate.
• You take headache medicine on 10 or more days a month. Taking it this often can lead to medication overuse headache.
• Your attacks have unusual features, such as attacks that last longer than 72 hours or come with weakness.
• You've started getting headaches after rarely having them before, or you have other complex health problems.
• You're pregnant or breastfeeding and need a plan for your headaches.
• Headaches keep getting in the way of work, school, or family life.

You don't have to wait until things are severe. If your headaches are getting worse or you need more and more medicine, it's reasonable to ask your GP about a specialist early.

A specialist visit is not for emergencies. Get emergency care right away for a sudden, severe headache that peaks within about a minute, a headache unlike your usual ones, or a headache with fever and a stiff neck, weakness or numbness on one side of the body, trouble speaking, or changes in vision. Call triple zero (000) and ask for an ambulance, or go to the nearest hospital emergency department.

Referrals, costs and wait times

Get a referral before you book. To get a Medicare rebate for a specialist visit, you need a valid referral, usually from your GP. A nurse practitioner can also refer you. You can see a specialist without one, but your Medicare rebate will be lower and you'll likely pay more. About referrals:

• A GP referral lasts 12 months unless your GP writes a different period. The 12 months start from your first appointment with the specialist, not the date the referral was written.
• If you need ongoing care, your GP can write a referral for longer than 12 months, or an indefinite one.
• A referral from one specialist to another lasts 3 months.
• Your GP doesn't have to name a particular specialist. If one is named, you can still choose another specialist in the same specialty, unless you've already started seeing the named one.
• If your GP thinks you need to be seen urgently, they can say so in the referral.

Costs depend on where you go.

• Private specialist. Outside hospital, Medicare pays 85% of the Medicare schedule fee. If the specialist charges more, you pay the difference as an out-of-pocket cost. If the specialist bulk bills, you pay nothing. Ask what you'll pay when you book. The Australian Government's Medical Costs Finder shows typical costs for specialist visits.
• Public hospital clinic. With a Medicare card, treatment as a public patient in a public hospital is free. The hospital chooses which doctor you see, so your referral doesn't need to name one. How urgent your condition is can affect how soon you're seen.

Wait times can be long, particularly at public clinics. Even at a private practice, you could wait a few months for a first appointment. It helps to book early, ask to be put on a cancellation list, and keep seeing your GP in the meantime. Use the waiting time to keep a headache diary, so the first visit can focus on treatment.

Live in a rural or remote area? Some specialists visit regional towns regularly, and you can see them with a referral from your local doctor. Every state and territory also has a Patient Assisted Travel Scheme that can help eligible patients with travel and accommodation costs when a specialist isn't available locally. Rules vary between schemes.

Telehealth

Some specialists offer telehealth, which can save a long trip. There is no specific test for migraine. It is usually diagnosed by talking with you and examining you, and much of each visit is spent going through your diary and how treatment is going. In a small US study, people with migraine who had follow-up visits by video had results similar to those seen in person, and they rated the video visits as more convenient.

A few things to know before you book:

• Medicare rules still apply. You need a valid referral, and you and the doctor both need to be in Australia at the time of the visit. The specialist should tell you their fees, including any out-of-pocket cost, beforehand.
• The first visit may need to be in person. Video is preferred, and some follow-up visits can be by phone. But telehealth is only used when it's safe and suitable. For a new or changing headache, the doctor may want to examine you or order tests, and some neurologists ask for the first appointment to be in person.
• Have your records ready on screen. On a video visit, your diary does much of the talking.

Before your first visit

Whoever you see, bring a record of your headaches. Your doctor will want to know how many headache days you have each month, how bad they are, which medicines you take and how often, and what you've tried before. Check that the specialist has your referral. Ask for records from other doctors to be sent ahead, and bring copies of any brain or neck scans. The headache diary guide has a full checklist.

In Zutsu Note, you log headaches and medicines in a few taps and see your monthly counts on charts. The visit summary puts your last 30 days on one page that you can show your doctor on your phone, at an in-person appointment or on a video appointment. If you use Zutsu Note in a web browser, you can also print it or save it as a PDF.

How to search

Migraine & Headache Australia, part of the national charity the Brain Foundation, keeps two lists that are a good place to start. Check details, fees and availability yourself before you book, because listings can be out of date.

• Migraine & Headache Australia, Doctor Directory. Lists neurologists and pain specialists who have shown an interest in headache by joining the Australian and New Zealand Headache Society. You can search by location. Migraine & Headache Australia says it does not endorse any individual healthcare provider. Open the Doctor Directory.
• Migraine & Headache Australia, Headache and Pain Clinics. A list of headache and pain clinics by state and territory. These are usually at major hospitals and generally need a GP referral. Open the clinic list.

Your GP is another good source. You can ask to be referred to a neurologist with an interest and skills in headache. Being listed in a directory isn't an endorsement, and Zutsu Note doesn't recommend specific doctors or clinics.

Looking for care for a child or teen? Start with your child's GP. Some neurologists, called paediatric neurologists, specialise in children.

What to ask when you call a clinic

• Do I need a referral, and should my past records be sent before the first visit?
• What is the fee for a first visit and for follow-ups, and how much will I pay after the Medicare rebate? Do you bulk bill?
• How long is the wait for a new patient? Is there a cancellation list?
• Who will I see? For example, a neurologist or a pain medicine specialist.
• Does the first visit have to be in person? Can follow-up visits be by video?
• Can you book an interpreter for me?
• What should I bring or send ahead, such as my headache diary, a list of my medicines, or scan images?
• How do I reach the clinic between visits if a treatment isn't working?

If you'd like an interpreter, say so when you book. Private doctors, including specialists, can get free interpreting from TIS National for Medicare-rebated appointments. TIS National's phone interpreting line is 131 450, 24 hours a day.

Sources we used

• Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing, MBS Online. Factsheet: Referrals for specialist services (last updated August 2026).
• MBS Online. Specialist MBS Telehealth (video and phone) Services, out-of-hospital attendances (last updated 29 October 2025).
• Medical Board of Australia. List of specialties, fields of specialty practice and related specialist titles (22 September 2025).
• privatehealth.gov.au. What is covered by private health insurance and Medicare.
• Australian Government Medical Costs Finder. Guide to costs.
• healthdirect. What is a referral?; The role of a neurologist; Headaches; Migraine; Public and private hospitals; Travelling to your healthcare appointment.
• Brain Foundation. Finding a neurologist; Finding a neurologist in regional Australia; AIHW figures more than double Australia's migraine estimate (September 2026).
• Migraine & Headache Australia. Doctor Directory; Headache and Pain Clinics.
• Australian and New Zealand Headache Society. About the society.
• TIS National. Free Interpreting Service for private medical practitioners; Contact us.
• Friedman DI, et al. A randomized trial of telemedicine for migraine management. Cephalalgia. 2019;39:1577-1585.
• Headache Classification Committee of the International Headache Society. The International Classification of Headache Disorders, 3rd edition (ICHD-3). Cephalalgia. 2018;38:1-211.
• American Migraine Foundation. The Value of a Headache Specialist.