The 2019 Scottsdale Headache Symposium in Review
Highlights from headache medicine’s premier educational event
Between Nov. 21 and 24, more than 1,200 healthcare providers and researchers met at the 2019 Scottsdale Headache Symposium (#AHSAZ) in Arizona to discuss the latest in headache medicine. The Symposium provides a forum for cutting-edge research and insights intended to further headache medicine and improve patient care.
The pre-meeting courses included an anatomy lesson on headache and orofacial pain. There was also a course on integrating advanced practice providers and behavioral therapists into a practice. Nurse practitioners and physician’s assistants involved in the care of patients with headache disorders attended The Bridge, a comprehensive headache education program for NP’s and PA’s.
In a pre-course at #AHSAZ on Integrating APPs & Behavioral Therapists into a HA Practice. Something I feel very passionately about! I like the slide on “words matter”. Important to introduce the team. APPs as NP or PA. Unsaid but avoid “mid level, physician extender”. pic.twitter.com/MMbWdDbrss
— Carrie Malavolta, MSN, MBE (@CarrieMalavolta) November 21, 2019
The Great Lakes Regional Headache Society hosted “The Art of Headache Medicine with a Journey Through Art History.” Presenters used art to illustrate the impact of headache disorders. Stephen D. Silberstein, MD, FAHS, and Andrew F. Russo, PhD, chaired the advanced course “Sleep and Migraine,” which dove into the relationship between sleep patterns and pain with a focus on headache and migraine.
Great talk by Zubair Ahmed on visual snow at the GLRHS – The Art of Headache Medicine #AHSAZ @CleClinicMD pic.twitter.com/JPuwGyqwov
— maryann mays (@maryannmays11) November 21, 2019
On Friday, AHS President Kathleen Digre, MD, FAHS, officially opened the Symposium. She welcomed attendees and chaired the first plenary with Rashmi B. Halker Singh, MD, FAHS. “Migraine: What’s New in Diagnosis, Pathophysiology and Treatment” covered diagnostic pearls and pitfalls, acute migraine treatment, and more.
A full house this morning for the first plenary session! What a great way to start with @eloder! #AHSAZ @ahsheadache pic.twitter.com/e62aOlRb4e
— Rashmi Rao, MD (@RRaoMD) November 22, 2019
Throughout the day, AHSAZ attendees heard presentations on trigeminal autonomic cephalalgias, vascular headache neurobiology, and stroke. There was also a Special Plenary on Vestibular Migraine, chaired by Deborah Friedman, MD, MPH, FAHS, and Shin Beh, MD.
It was an honor and a pleasure to speak about #vertigo and #vestibularmigraine at the #AHSAZ I hope we managed to help highlight the differences between VM and common #vestibulardisorders https://t.co/sON4UtawV3
— Shin Beh MD (@thedizzydoc) November 23, 2019
On Saturday morning, attendees heard case presentations and learned more about cutting edge and emerging therapies. This included monoclonal antibodies, neuromodulation and neuropharmacology for the treatment of headache and migraine. During a plenary about headache journalism, Headache® Editor-in-Chief Thomas N. Ward, MD, FAHS, shared insights from the journal’s top three articles.
The prevailing message from this morning’s Cutting Edge/Emerging Therapies session! So many new treatments available today and more on the way for patients with headache diseases! Thank you for the excellent summary @daviddodick @AmaalStarling Dr. Silberstein #AHSAZ @ahsheadache pic.twitter.com/1FJ2hrNnIO
— Jessica Gautreaux,MD (@JGautreauxMD) November 23, 2019
The inaugural Women’s Health Science Award recognized an investigator who has made an outstanding contribution to women’s health and headache medicine. Gretchen Tietjen, MD, was selected for her dedication to women and headache.
.@schwedtt and @rashmihalker present the inaugural Women's Health Science Award to Gretchen E. Tietjen, MD. The award recognizes an investigator whose body of work has made an outstanding contribution to the understanding of #womenshealth and #headachemedicine. #AHSAZ pic.twitter.com/4p2xO86QWY
— American Headache Society (@ahsheadache) November 23, 2019
“Frontiers in Headache Research” Scholarship Award presentations and concurrent sessions rounded out the afternoon. Sessions included injection training, science, traumatic brain injuries, behavioral treatment and wellness, women’s health, and TACs and other primary headaches.
Great panel discussion at #AHSAZ regarding the complexities of evaluating and managing post-traumatic #headache #TBI #Veterans #military pic.twitter.com/RJFwvo3Rns
— Jason Sico, MD, FAHA, FAAN, FACP, FANA (@JSico_MD) November 23, 2019
The final day of the Symposium featured a discussion on pediatric-adolescent headache. It also covered injection training, and advocacy as a way to improve the lives of those with headache and migraine. Attendees also heard from a patient’s perspective about migraine disability and the toll it takes.
Today at #AHSAZ @AmaalStarling talks about advocacy but most importantly, how providers can empower people with migraine by prescribing advocacy #moveagainstmigraine pic.twitter.com/L44gWquEn4
— Nim Lalvani (@LalvaniNim) November 24, 2019
Thank you to all who attended the 2019 Scottsdale Headache Symposium. This event is not possible without the dedicated members of our Society. Although the Symposium has ended, you can continue to share your photos, key takeaways and pearls by tweeting us at @ahsheadache or using #AHSAZ.