Migraine Treatment
Dr. Hsinlin Thomas Cheng, PhD, from the Mass General Neurology Department, talks about migraine causes and treatment in this previously recorded Facebook Live.
Thomas Cheng, MD, PhD
About Thomas Cheng, MD, PhD
Hsinlin Thomas Cheng, MD PhD, is the Director of Headache and Neuropathic Pain Unit, Department of Neurology at Massachusetts General Hospital. He specializes in both adult Neurology and Pain Medicine. Dr. Cheng treats patients suffered from headache to other neuropathic pain syndromes. Dr. Cheng complete his doctoral program of Neuroscience at the University of Michigan, he completed his residency in the Department of Neurology at Wayne State University before taking on a clinical fellowship at the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and a research fellowship at the Weill Medical College at Cornell University. Dr. Cheng returned to the University of Michigan as Assistant Professor in the Department of Neurology. He joined the Department of Neurology at Massachusetts General Hospital in July, 2013.
Dr. Cheng is a member of American Pain Society, and American Academy of Neurology. He is a fellow of American Neurological Association. He received a NIH KO8 award. Previously, he was a recipient of a Fellowship Training Grant from the National Cancer Institute from 2004-06. He was awarded Wolfe Research Prize by the American Neurological Association in 2010, and Freeman Pain Award from 2014-17.
Dr. Cheng is devoted to research, clinical practice, and education to improve the current knowledge and management of headache and neuropathic pain. He researches the molecular mechanisms of headache and neuropathic pain in both laboratory and clinical settings. He sees patients in Neurology Clinic at Wang Building and perform procedures including nerve blocks, trigger point and Botox injections.
Clinical Interests:
- Complex Regional Pain Syndrome
- Headaches
- Neuropathic pain from nerve injury
- Peripheral neuropathy
- Postherpetic neuralgia
- Trigeminal neuralgia
Treats:
- Adult
Languages:
- Mandarin Chinese, Taiwanese
Locations
Mass General Neurology
55 Fruit St.
Boston, MA 02114
Phone: 855-644-6387
Medical Education
- MD, Taipei Medical University
- PhD, University of Michigan
- Residency, Wayne State University School of Medicine
- Fellowship, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
- Fellowship, University of Michigan
American Board Certifications
- Neurology, American Board of Psychiatry & Neurology
- Pain Medicine, American Board of Psychiatry & Neurology
Accepted Insurance Plans
- Aetna
- Beech Street
- Blue Cross Blue Shield
- Blue Cross Blue Shield Medicare
- Cigna
- Commonwealth Care Alliance
- Coventry
- Fallon Health
- Harvard Pilgrim Health Care
- Humana
- Maine Community Health Options
- Mass General Brigham Health Plan
- MassHealth
- Medicaid ME
- Medicaid NH
- Medicaid RI
- Medicaid VT
- Medicare
- Medicare ACO
- Multiplan
- Railroad Medicare
- Senior Whole Health
- TriCare
- Tufts Health Plan
- United Health Care
- Wellpoint
- WellSense
- WellSense NH
Note: This provider may accept more insurance plans than shown; please call the practice to find out if your plan is accepted.
Research
Dr. Cheng's research interests are in studying the mechanisms of pain. He is funded by the National Institute of Health to study the molecular mechanisms of painful diabetic neuropathy. He has discovered multiple pain molecules activated in an animal model of type 2 diabetes. His research has been published by numerous peer-reviewed scientific journals and reported in many conferences. His findings provide better understanding for the mechanisms of painful diabetic neuropathy and could lead to the development for the future treatments for this devastating disease.
Publications
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- Dauch JR, Bender D, Luna-Wong LA, Hsieh W, Yanik BM, Kelly ZA, Cheng HT. Neurogenic factor-induced Langerhans cell activation in painful diabetic neuropathy. Journal of Neuroinflammation, 14;10(1):64, 2013.
- Cheng, HT, Dauch JR, Smith G, Singleton JR, Porzio M, Yanik, BM, Hsieh W, Feldman EL. Application of skin punch biopsy for the diagnosis of painful diabetic neuropathy. Journal of Pain, 2013 May 16. pii: S1526-5900(13)00910-3. doi: 10.1016/j.jpain.2013.03.005.
- Dauch JR, Lindblad CN, Hayes JM, Lentz SI, Cheng HT. 3-Dimensional Imaging of Nociceptive Intraepidermal Nerve Fibers in Human Skin Biopsies, The Journal of Visualized Experiments (74), e50331, doi:10.3791/5033, 2013.
And Dr. Cheng is not only a brilliant neurologist, a national and international researcher, he is a kind and caring human being. [redacted] I've met early doctors. He is at the top of the pyramid. I have rare diseases. He's been the only doctor that has done the research, helped me, found me other specialists who could at least try to help me. I ... Read More
The appointments are always very quick so we do not talk much or review my history. He is very kind and thorough.
I have no issues with the provider once I connected with the virtual video. He answered my questions and was very pleasant.
Dr Cheng is always the best
Dr Cheng and his student very helpful and took their time to listen even though I was just get pin point injections. The receptionists where nice but seemed very disorganized when I left. Had an afternoon appointment and no one knew who was in charge of doctors calendar for appointment and they almost forgot to take my blood pressure and grabbed ... Read More
Dr. Cheng was attentive and genuinely concerned about what was going on with me. I appreciate his thoughtfulness with my treatment plan. 2 things - just a little hard to understand thru the zoom mtg. Although the virtual meeting is really convenient, I think I would have been able to communicate as well as understand his comments better if it were ... Read More
Dr.Cheng is the best doctor I have dealt with in my life,I thank GOD for him.
Dr Cheng is an awesome provider I really like his opinion on my neurological care.
My neurologist listens attentively and is very knowledgeable of my condition if I have emergency I am seen that day as an emergency.! I appreciate his care and his concern about my pain management Ali Though sometimes frustrating to both of us we come together with new ideas ? n moving forward ! Before I met him My life was such pain at least now ... Read More
Began virtual appontment on time. Overall, a very satisfactory meeting.