Headache and Dizziness Causes: Your Next Healthcare Steps in Los Angeles, CA
Headache and Dizziness Causes: Your Next Healthcare Steps in Los Angeles, CA
Experiencing frequent, painful headaches, especially in the mornings, accompanied by dizziness and a pounding heart can understandably feel worrying. If resting or drinking water hasn’t helped, it’s natural to want to know what might be causing these symptoms and whether you should see a doctor. You are not alone, and it’s good that you are looking into trusted information before taking the next step.
This post is designed to help you understand potential causes related to your symptoms and guide you through who you might see for an evaluation here in Los Angeles. We also provide an overview of common procedures you might expect and estimated self-pay costs to help you feel more prepared for that first appointment.
Who to See for Your Symptoms in Los Angeles
Based on your headache, dizziness, and heart pounding symptoms, several types of healthcare providers could be the right place to start. Each has specific expertise that can help diagnose and manage your condition:
- Family Practice Doctor: A generalist who can evaluate a wide range of symptoms, order basic tests, and provide initial treatment or referrals. They are often the best first step to figure out what might be going on.
- Neurologist: A specialist focused on brain and nervous system conditions, especially if your headaches are severe, persistent, or accompanied by other neurological symptoms.
- Cardiologist: A heart specialist. Since you’ve mentioned feeling your heart pounding, a cardiologist can assess if your heart or blood flow might be contributing to your dizziness or headaches.
- Internal Medicine Doctor: A provider who specializes in adult health and can manage complex medical problems, order tests, and provide coordinated care.
What to Expect: Initial Visits and Estimated Costs
Here’s a look into typical procedures and their costs you might expect when seeing these providers in Los Angeles. These costs are for self-pay patients and can help you budget or understand your potential expenses.
Visit with a Family Practice Doctor
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Procedure: Established patient office or other outpatient visit, about 30-39 minutes (CPT Code: 99214)
Purpose: This is a detailed visit where the doctor will discuss your symptoms, review your medical history, and do a physical exam to identify potential causes of your headaches and dizziness.
Estimated Self-Pay Cost: $209.58 (typically ranges from $157.19 to $261.98)
This estimate is based on 799 providers in the Los Angeles area. -
Procedure: Routine electrocardiogram (ECG) using at least 12 leads (CPT Code: 93000)
Purpose: A simple heart test that records electrical activity to check for possible heart rhythm problems linked to your pounding heart or dizziness.
Estimated Self-Pay Cost: $33.63 (range $19.06 to $48.21)
Based on 295 providers. -
Procedure: Complete blood cell count (CBC) test (CPT Code: 85025)
Purpose: A blood test to check your overall health and detect infections or anemia, which can cause headaches and dizziness.
Estimated Self-Pay Cost: $14.28 (range $9.12 to $19.44)
Based on 24 providers. -
Procedure: Blood test for thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) (CPT Code: 84443)
Purpose: This test checks your thyroid function since thyroid problems can sometimes cause symptoms like fatigue, dizziness, and headaches.
Estimated Self-Pay Cost: $27.65 (range $19.74 to $35.57)
Based on 9 providers. -
Procedure: Urinalysis, manual test (CPT Code: 81002)
Purpose: A urine test to check for infections or other conditions that might contribute to your symptoms.
Estimated Self-Pay Cost: $8.38 (range $4.08 to $12.68)
Based on 103 providers.
Visit with a Neurologist
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Procedure: Established patient office or other outpatient visit, 30-39 minutes (CPT Code: 99214)
Purpose: Neurologists focus on brain and nervous system concerns, helping to diagnose causes of complex headaches and dizziness.
Estimated Self-Pay Cost: $203.89 (range $152.92 to $254.86)
Based on 255 providers. -
Procedure: MRI scan of the brain without contrast (CPT Code: 70551)
Purpose: An imaging test that helps detect structural or other brain issues that might be causing your symptoms.
Estimated Self-Pay Cost: $163.51 (range $89.82 to $237.19)
Based on 1 provider. -
Procedure: Complete ultrasound of brain blood flow (CPT Code: 93886)
Purpose: This test checks blood flow in brain vessels to find circulation problems.
Estimated Self-Pay Cost: $225.25 (range $168.94 to $281.56)
Based on 15 providers. -
Procedure: Testing of autonomic nervous system function (CPT Code: 95923 and 95924)
Purpose: These specialized tests evaluate nerve control of heart rate and blood pressure, which can help explain dizziness and heart pounding.
Estimated Self-Pay Costs: $224.70 to $265.07
Based on 1 provider each.
Visit with a Cardiologist
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Procedure: Established patient office visit (CPT Code: 99214)
Purpose: The cardiologist will assess your heart function, especially important given your pounding heart and dizziness.
Estimated Self-Pay Cost: $210.27 (range $157.70 to $262.84)
Based on 341 providers. -
Procedure: Routine ECG (CPT Code: 93000)
(Purpose as above)
Estimated Self-Pay Cost: $33.75 (range $18.98 to $48.51)
Based on 287 providers. -
Procedure: Ultrasound of the heart (CPT Code: 93306)
Purpose: An ultrasound to check your heart’s valves and blood flow, which can reveal heart problems causing symptoms.
Estimated Self-Pay Cost: $201.52 (range $137.46 to $265.58)
Based on 351 providers. -
Procedure: Ultrasound of head and neck blood flow (CPT Code: 93880)
Purpose: This test checks blood flow in your neck and head arteries which may relate to dizziness or headaches.
Estimated Self-Pay Cost: $342.50 (range $256.87 to $428.12)
Based on 126 providers. -
Procedure: Chest X-ray, 2 views (CPT Code: 71046)
Purpose: Basic imaging to help rule out lung or heart-related causes of your symptoms.
Estimated Self-Pay Cost: $60.46 (range $45.35 to $75.58)
Based on 10 providers.
Visit with an Internal Medicine Doctor
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Procedure: Established patient office visit (CPT Code: 99214)
Purpose: Internal medicine doctors provide comprehensive care for adults, can assess your symptoms broadly, and coordinate necessary tests.
Estimated Self-Pay Cost: $204.24 (range $153.18 to $255.30)
Based on 1176 providers. -
Procedure: Routine ECG (CPT Code: 93000)
Estimated Self-Pay Cost: $32.62 (range $18.98 to $46.26)
Based on 529 providers. -
Procedure: Complete blood cell count (CPT Code: 85025)
Estimated Self-Pay Cost: $15.89 (range $9.12 to $22.66)
Based on 92 providers. -
Procedure: Thyroid stimulating hormone test (CPT Code: 84443)
Estimated Self-Pay Cost: $28.96 (range $19.74 to $38.17)
Based on 77 providers. -
Procedure: Blood collection (CPT Code: 36415)
Purpose: This is the simple step of drawing blood needed for the tests above.
Estimated Self-Pay Cost: $12.85 (range $9.64 to $16.06)
Based on 511 providers.
Your Recommended Next Steps
Taking action now will help you get answers and relief from your symptoms. Here’s what to do next:
- Schedule an Appointment: Contact a Family Practice doctor first, or directly reach out to a Neurologist or Cardiologist if your pounding heart or neurological symptoms feel severe or urgent.
- Prepare for Your Visit: Write down a clear timeline of your symptoms, any other related feelings, and questions you want to ask. This will help your doctor understand your situation better.
- Discuss Costs When Booking: Use the estimated costs here as a guide but call the provider’s office to confirm pricing and insurance coverage details before your visit.
- Stay Reassured: Most causes of headaches and dizziness are manageable once identified with the right care, and you are doing the important thing by seeking medical advice.
Need Help Navigating Your Options?
Finding affordable, trustworthy care can be confusing, especially if you’re uninsured or new to the system. That’s why we built Transparent Health: a tool to help you understand your options and find the right provider for your needs.
Disclaimer: This blog post is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.