Neura members can now hold video appointments with Amy Larsen, PA-C. If you'd like to book an appointment, start your Neura trial membership today! 

‍

Meet Amy Larsen, PA-C: Bridging Neurosurgery and Headache Medicine with Compassionate, Patient-Led Care

‍

At Neura Health, we’re committed to delivering accessible, compassionate, and personalized neurological care. We’re excited to welcome Amy Larsen, PA-C, a neurology physician assistant with advanced expertise in headache medicine, and previous experience in neurosurgery and ICU care.

‍

Amy brings a unique blend of clinical depth and human-centered insight to her work, rooted not only in years of treating complex neurological conditions but also in her own lived experience with migraine and primary stabbing headache.

‍

From General Neurology to Neurosurgery

Amy began her career in general neurology in Michigan, where she managed a wide range of conditions, including acute migraine attacks. In this practice, she took on the role of acute headache management, administering infusions and nerve block procedures for acute migraine and other headache pain. She later relocated to Seattle, where she worked for several years as a neurosurgical PA. In that role, she assisted in cranial and spinal procedures. These experiences gave Amy a powerful understanding of the brain and its complexities from both surgical and bedside perspectives.

‍

Combining Expertise in Headache and Stroke Care

Over time, Amy transitioned into a hybrid role that blended her surgical experience with a growing passion for outpatient care. She began seeing patients with post-traumatic headache, trigeminal neuralgia, and other complex headache disorders—conditions that require careful listening, collaborative planning, and deep clinical knowledge.

She also supported inpatient stroke and endovascular care, further broadening her neurology skillset.

‍

A Personal Connection to Headache Disorders‍

What makes Amy’s approach to care especially meaningful is her personal experience with neurological pain. Amy’s personal health journey has shaped how she understands and supports her patients. “I personally experience migraine and primary stabbing headache, which is also called ice pick headache.” And she speaks candidly about the process of finding what works: “it's a trial and error process to find what works best.”

‍

Over time, she’s learned how to combine lifestyle awareness with medication when needed: “I have over the years been able to explore which lifestyle triggers to avoid and manage and when needed, which medications to take.”

‍

Beyond her own experience, Amy has felt the heartache of watching a loved one battle their own neurological disease: “I had a close family member battle glioblastoma, which is a type of primary brain cancer. My family member, unfortunately, passed away a few years ago from her brain cancer. But through her diagnosis, what she appreciated the most was just continuing to be with her family and loved ones, participating where she could.”

‍

Guiding Patients with Knowledge and Compassion

For Amy, patient care is a partnership. She makes time to explain diagnoses, offer evidence-based options, and guide patients through shared decision-making. And she encourages every patient to be an advocate for themselves—especially in a healthcare system that can sometimes feel overwhelming. “I love to explain anatomy and pathophysiology with my patients, and as well as we currently have an understanding in science,” she says. “I also like to go through what we call a differential diagnosis, which is a list of things that could be causing symptoms from a primary disorder to a secondary one, and I go through the reasoning of making a diagnosis.” 

‍

When it comes to treatment, she adds, “I like to present patients with the pros and cons of a couple of different options that have good evidence, and then involve them in the decision making process.” 

‍

Amy emphasizes the importance of patient self-advocacy: “Unfortunately, there are a lot of challenges in our healthcare system, and so it can take you advocating for yourself and standing up for yourself to get treatment, to get testing, and I encourage all my patients to do that.” Above all, she says, “Hopefully I convey just as a member of their healthcare team that I'm also in their corner, and motivated to help them improve their lives.”

‍

Get Started with Amy Larsen at Neura Health

Whether you're navigating chronic migraine, recovering from a traumatic brain injury, or managing a rare headache disorder like trigeminal neuralgia, Amy Larsen, PA-C, is here to help. Her depth of experience and compassionate approach make her an invaluable partner in your health journey.

‍

Book a visit today and take the next step toward personalized, evidence-based care with Amy.

‍

Video Transcript:

My name is Amy Larsen. I'm a neurology physician assistant specializing in headache medicine.

‍

What brought you to medicine?

I have worked in a number of different settings for neurology. For the specialty, I've been on the outpatient general neuro side, and then I've worked inpatient in neurosurgery in the OR and in the ICU. I was drawn to medicine for a lot of different reasons. I've always loved science, and I really love the tangible ways that medicine allows me to help people improve their lives.

‍

It is challenging, it's never boring, and it's always changing. So there's always more to learn. And as far as why neurology and not other specialties, who doesn't love the brain? Neurology is so fascinating, and it's a field that's constantly evolving.

‍

What’s your special interest within your specific field?

I have a special interest in post-traumatic headache, having worked in neurosurgery and seen a lot of TBI. I also really enjoy treating trigeminal neuralgia, which can be extremely debilitating for patients. So it's rewarding to be able to help people find relief.

‍

What’s your approach to treating patients?

I love to explain anatomy and pathophysiology with my patients, and as well as we currently have an understanding of science. I also like to go through what we call a differential diagnosis, which is a list of things that could be causing symptoms from a primary disorder to a secondary one, and I go through the reasoning of making a diagnosis.

‍

And then with medications, there's really only one option to choose from. So I like to present patients with the pros and cons of a couple of different options that have good evidence, and then involve them in the decision-making process.

‍

Do you have a chronic condition or does someone close to you have a chronic condition?

I personally experience migraine and primary stabbing headache, which is also called ice pick headache. I also had a close family member battle glioblastoma, which is a type of primary brain cancer. My family member, unfortunately, passed away a few years ago from her brain cancer. But through her diagnosis, what she appreciated the most was just continuing to be with her family and loved ones, participating where she could.

I think the most important thing for anyone going through that kind of thing is not to feel isolated or alone.

‍

How do you manage your condition?

In response to managing my own headache symptoms, as most patients have experienced, it's a trial-and-error process to find what works best. And I have, over the years, been able to explore which lifestyle triggers to avoid and manage, and when needed, which medications to take. But I also think it's important to have a healthy mindset.

‍

Good health is never a guarantee. Even when you do everything right, that doesn't mean you stop trying. But we have to remember that we can, and should use both healthy lifestyle habits and modern medicine to reduce our risk.

‍

Why is patient advocacy important?

 I am an advocate for self-advocacy. I encourage all my patients to be self-advocates in their health journey. Unfortunately, there are a lot of challenges in our healthcare system, and so it can take you advocating for yourself and standing up for yourself to get treatment, to get testing, and I encourage all my patients to do that.

‍

Hopefully, I convey just as a member of their healthcare team that I'm also in their corner, and motivated to help them improve their lives.

‍