Taffy Hopkins, a 73-year-old resident of Palm Beach, endured severe headaches for over a year that left her confined to bed. Despite consulting multiple specialists and undergoing various tests and treatments across the country, she was repeatedly told she suffered from migraines. The prescribed medications did not alleviate her pain.
“I knew these weren’t migraines, but everything kept coming back to migraine medications that didn’t help,” Hopkins said. “I was desperate for answers. I was spending my life going from doctor to doctor.”
Hopkins eventually sought care at NYU Langone Medical Associates—West Palm Beach. There, Dr. Andrew J. Harb, a pain management specialist and clinical assistant professor in Rusk Rehabilitation at NYU Grossman School of Medicine, evaluated her case. After reviewing her history and previous imaging studies, Dr. Harb diagnosed cervicogenic headaches due to moderate to severe cervical arthritis.
“Cervical spine degeneration can irritate surrounding nerves and muscles, leading to chronic headache patterns that are often mistaken for migraines,” said Dr. Harb. “Once the true pain generator is identified, a treatment of trigger point injections can be highly effective.”
During the initial appointment, Dr. Harb administered targeted injections into the muscles around Hopkins’s cervical spine using either local anesthetic or corticosteroid medication as needed; dry needling may also be an option for some patients. Hopkins experienced immediate relief following the procedure.
“For the first time in over a year, the pain was gone,” Hopkins said. “It honestly felt like I got my life back.”
Since starting treatment at NYU Langone Medical Associates—West Palm Beach, Hopkins has reported lasting improvement with fewer and less severe headaches. Her ongoing care includes periodic trigger point injections along with home exercises and physical therapy focused on posture and muscle strength to support long-term spinal health. Plans are being made with her care team to gradually reduce her headache medications as symptoms improve.
Dr. Harb emphasized that cases like Hopkins’s are common but frequently missed without thorough evaluation: “This is a condition we see regularly, but it requires a comprehensive evaluation and truly listening to the patient,” he said. “When the underlying cause hasn’t been fully identified, patients suffer, underscoring the importance of precise diagnosis and individualized care.”
With sustained progress in her recovery, Hopkins has resumed daily activities previously impossible during her illness—including travel—and looks forward to future trips.
“I wasn’t doing anything except existing,” she said. “Now I’m back to doing life.”
NYU Langone Health currently operates six practices in Southeast Florida and plans further expansion with its new Julia Koch Family Ambulatory Care Center set to open later this year in West Palm Beach at 324 Datura Street—a facility designed for up to 50 physicians serving approximately 150,000 patients annually.
NYU Langone Health is recognized nationally for its focus on quality outcomes; Vizient Inc., which evaluates hospital performance data (https://newsroom.vizientinc.com/nyu-langone-health-named-no-1-comprehensive-academic-medical-center-in-nation-for-fourth-consecutive-year.htm), has ranked NYU Langone No. 1 among comprehensive academic medical centers nationwide for four consecutive years.
Additionally, U.S News & World Report recently ranked four clinical specialties at NYU Langone as No. 1 in the United States.
The health system offers broad services across seven inpatient locations including Perlmutter Cancer Center as well as more than 320 outpatient sites throughout New York and Florida.
NYU Langone also operates two tuition-free medical schools—located in Manhattan and Long Island—and supports extensive research programs.
