Dr. Andrew M. Blumenfeld M.D.

Expert Publications

• Efficacy and safety of modafinil (Provigil) for the treatment of fatigue in multiple sclerosis: a two centre phase 2 study.
• An integrated management program for migraine: the Kaiser experience.
• A multi-center double-blind pilot comparison of onabotulinumtoxinA and topiramate for the prophylactic treatment of chronic migraine.
• The International Burden of Migraine Study (IBMS): study design, methodology, and baseline cohort characteristics.
• Cost of health care among patients with chronic and episodic migraine in Canada and the USA: results from the International Burden of Migraine Study (IBMS).
• Cost of healthcare for patients with migraine in five European countries: results from the International Burden of Migraine Study (IBMS).
• Acute autonomic neuropathy with Salmonella typhi infection. A case report.
• The importance of carotid artery plaque disruption and hemorrhage.
• Probable chloroquine-resistant Plasmodium falciparum malaria in south-western Africa.

Media Releases

Dr. Blumenfeld is a neurologist and neurocritical care physician. He has been a principal investigator for many research studies showing that Botulinum toxin type A, sold under the brand name Botox®, is an effective preventative therapy for headache in chronic migraine sufferers. He has treated more patients with Botox therapy than any other provider in the world and trains other physicians on this - both nationally and internationally.

Dr. Blumenfeld is the Director of the Headache Center of Southern California, whose mission is to provide excellent, comprehensive headache care. As director, he focuses on addressing the multi-faceted needs of headache sufferers. These needs include acute care, educational programs, and other specialty services. This comprehensive approach treats the whole person in a highly individualized manner and addresses the growing demand for one-stop treatment services.

Dr. Blumenfeld currently holds active privileges at Scripps Memorial Hospitals (Encinitas and La Jolla) and the Tri-City Medical Center in Oceanside, California.

Dr. Blumenfeld grew up in South Africa and graduated from St. Andrews College, South Africa, with a first class pass and distinction in mathematics. He then went on to receive his medical degree from the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, after which he completed a residency in neurology at Johannesburg Hospital. In 1986, he moved to the United States and completed a residency in neurology at the University of Massachusetts Medical School. Following this, Dr. Blumenfeld completed his fellowship training in neurophysiology, also at the University of Massachusetts Medical School.

Dr. Blumenfeld served as staff neurologist at Kaiser Permanente, San Diego from 1990 to 2004. As Chief of Neurology Service at Kaiser from 1999-2004, his unit was named a Neurotoxin Center of Excellence by Thomas Jefferson University and Jefferson Medical College. The Neurotoxin Centers of Excellence recognize excellence in neurologists and other physicians who specialize in headache management.

Dr Blumenfeld is a member of the American Academy of Neurology and the American Headache Society. He has published widely and has been an active researcher in headaches and multiple sclerosis.

Dr. Blumenfeld serves on the advisory board for Allergan. He has been a national speaker and consultant for Allergan, as well as other well-known medical corporations: Pfizer, GSK, Merck, Posen, Zogenix, MAP pharmaceuticals, Forrest, and Ortho McNeill.

Dr. Blumenfeld is board-certified in neurology by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology (ABPN). The ABPN is a not-for-profit corporation dedicated to serving the public interest and the professions of psychiatry and neurology by promoting excellence in practice through certification and continuing certification processes.

Neurology is the branch of medicine concerned with the study and treatment of disorders of the nervous system. Neurocritical care is a medical field that treats life-threatening diseases of the nervous system and identifies, prevents/treats secondary brain injury. Being a neurologist and neurocritical care physician, Dr. Blumenfeld provides emergency critical care for patients with serious conditions involving the nervous system, brainstem or brain. He also treats secondary injuries of the brain, such as those brought on by chronic illnesses.

Dr. Blumenfeld is an avid bicyclist, having participated in the Race Across America in 2003 and 2004. In his spare time, he enjoys running and spending time with his family.

Recommended Articles

• Sarepta Sheds Light on Next Generation Drug for Muscular Dystrophy Patients

  Each company has faced its own set of issues, with Sarepta being one of many that are trying to make amends for some issues that have happened in the past. Although there happened to be some issues with the data that was coming from Sarepta, their approval of the drug that can assist with muscular...

• Headache in the Back of the Head

  A headache experienced in the back of the head can have many different causes. Most of these causes can be identified by specific symptoms, such as the exact location of pain and the type or severity of pain experienced. In some cases, certain events can trigger these headaches.  CausesDoctors can...

• When Multiple Sclerosis Drugs Cause More Problems Than They Solve

  Unfortunately, treating multiple sclerosis can often feel like "one step forward, two steps back." It is not uncommon to feel as if the drugs for MS are doing more harm than good, and here is one way to look at the complicated relationship with medication.A cultural phenomenonGenerally, many suggest...

• Blood from Young Donors May Help Alzheimer's Patients in the Future

  Treatments for Alzheimer’s are improving daily as researchers are trying to focus on the different methods that may slow down the process for the disease, including using blood donated by young people to improve the memory of Alzheimer's patients.Alzheimer’s disease has been one of the main...

• Chronic Inflammation May Enhance Sustained Delivery of New Muscular Dystrophy Therapy

  The Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy is a genetic disorder that is accompanied by symptoms of progressive muscle weakness and degeneration. Duchenne muscular dystrophy is caused by the absence of dystrophin, a protein that is responsible for keeping muscles cells intact, and accounts for one of the nine...

• Discover the Fundraiser Dedicated to Finding a Cure for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy

  Duchenne is one of the lesser-known degenerative diseases which revolves mainly around rapidly-progressing muscular dystrophy and belongs to the same category as similar conditions — such as Becker Muscular Dystrophy — though it is usually one of the most aggressive variations. The disease...