Head S.T.A.R.T.

This year marks the thirty-eighth anniversary of the National Headache Foundation. The National Headache Foundation exists to enhance the healthcare of headache sufferers. It is a source of help to sufferers’ families, physicians who treat headache sufferers, allied healthcare professionals and to the public. The NHF accomplishes its mission by providing educational and informational resources, supporting headache research and advocating for the understanding of headache as a legitimate neurobiological disease.

This year the NHF is centering their “Get a Head S.T.A.R.T. on your Headaches” campaign around this year’s National Headache Awareness Week of June 1st to June 7th.

S.T.A.R.T. is an acronym developed to help people take greater control of chronic headache or migraine problems.

• Seek diagnosis – Obtaining the correct diagnosis for your headache is the first step toward effective treatment.
• Triggers – Identify and track your triggers (e.g., foods, stress, hormonal or weather changes) by keeping a headache diary and share this information with your healthcare provider.
• Advocate – Be an advocate. Be informed. Be a participant in your headache care.
• Resources – Use the National Headache Foundation as a resource. For the latest information about headache causes and treatments visit www.headaches.org.
• Treatment – Successful treatment may include medications and lifestyle changes. Work with your healthcare provider to find the right plan for you.

In addition to the S.T.A.R.T campaign NHF is doing a week of podcasts on Headache related issues.  So far this week there have been:

Monday: Hormones & Headaches featuring Dr. Susan Hutchinson
Tuesday: Contraception & Headaches featuring Dr. Susan Broner

If you check back at http://www.headaches.org/National_Headache_Awareness_Week a new podcast will be posted every day this week.