Chicago, Illinos, Oct. 28, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The National Headache Foundation (NHF) introduced at this time it will likely be elevating cash all through November for Operation Brainstorm, a devoted program created to supply enhanced providers to veterans and lively obligation personnel with headache problems and migraine illness.
NHF launched Operation Brainstorm in July and, within the ensuing months, discovered that rather more may very well be executed to broaden providers. “We need far more resources to increase access and quality of care for the men and women who bravely serve our country, and every penny donated goes a long way to closing that gap,” mentioned Tom Dabertin, CEO/Executive Director of NHF.
In partnership with Biohaven Pharmaceuticals and different companions, NHF has been providing enhanced well being assets for veterans and active-duty navy, together with:
- Production and distribution of migraine survival toolkits.
- Sponsoring Veterans Views, a syndicated radio present hosted by veterans and specializing in points affecting veterans.
- Primary care supplier coaching by way of the NHF’s Primary Care Migraine (PCM) instructional program. PCM is obtainable to healthcare suppliers all through the VA medical system.
- A collection of listening session boards, hosted at American Legion halls and different venues, that brings veterans collectively to find out about persistent headache and migraine. The periods present service members and veterans with complete assets and knowledge. This additionally affords alternatives to ask questions of headache specialists and share tales and experiences with others who greatest perceive their distinctive scenario.
Dabertin mentioned U.S. service members and veterans disproportionately share acute boundaries to care that thousands and thousands of Americans face attempting to deal with headache and migraine problems. “Studies show that veterans are more likely to develop migraine or other headache disorders,” mentioned Dabertin. “Headache and migraine disorders are a pervasive issue among veterans in the United States, but less attention and fewer resources are devoted to the treatment of headache and migraine than to more visible physical traumas.” According to the Department of Veterans Affairs, roughly 36 p.c of veterans who served not less than a one-year tour in Iraq or Afghanistan have a prognosis of migraine or a headache dysfunction.
From 2000 to 2020, greater than 430,000 U.S. service members have a prognosis for traumatic mind accidents. These mind accidents can result in post-traumatic headache dysfunction. Headache and migraine can present up weeks or months after an damage, and the debilitating signs can final for years. A research from the Veterans Affairs Center of Excellence for Stress and Mental Health found a big hyperlink between Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and combat-related damage amongst veterans who skilled migraine and tension-type headache. More than 300 veterans visited the Center for providers in the course of the research in 2009; practically half reported experiencing migraine or headache.
Dabertin mentioned, “The more we learn about the compelling migraine and headache disorder treatment needs of veterans and active-duty military, the more we want to accomplish on their behalf. NHF goals include adding other resources and direct programs, such as companion dogs, to support veteran and military patients, their caregivers, and healthcare providers.”
At its October board assembly, NHF added Jason Sico, M.D., to its board of administrators. Sico is the National Lead for the Headache Centers of Excellence (HCoE) Program throughout the Veterans Health Administration. The HCoE is a nationwide initiative to enhance headache care supply by instructional applications, modern care supply fashions, together with telehealth, and standardized care algorithms which incorporate affected person self-management and interdisciplinary headache care. I additionally function the Director of the HCoE Research and Evaluation Center (REC), which is built-in with the HCoE scientific enterprise and is tasked with understanding the epidemiology and function of navy exposures in headache amongst Veterans.
Tax-deductible contributions might be made to NHF for Operation Brainstorm at this hyperlink: https://nhf.secure.nonprofitsoapbox.com/donate
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About the National Headache Foundation
The National Headache Foundation (NHF) is the main instructional and informational useful resource for people with headache, their households, physicians, allied well being care professionals, and well being coverage determination makers. For extra
