Resources for Primary Care Practitioners
First Contact - Headache in Primary Care
The goal of First Contact - Headache in Primary Care is to provide educational resources to empower healthcare professionals and improve headache and migraine care for their patients.
Family physicians, internists, OBGYNs, pediatricians, PAs, NPs, and other allied healthcare providers can browse a variety of free rsources on topics like Diagnosisng Migraine, Acute and Preventive Migraine Treatment Options, Pediatric Migraine and Migraine, Pregnancy, & Lactation.
All resources are curated by leaders in headache medicine. We encourage providers in all stages of their careers to utilize our programming and educational tools to improve patient care and develop expertise in the field of headache medicine.
Migraine Quick Guides
Explore key information on the diagnosis and management of migraine and other headache disorders including acute and preventive treatment, navigating work up, behavioral treatment, and more.
Migraine Management Flowchart
This algorithm addresses the management of migraine, including for patients in acute care settings. In acute care settings, the likelihood of a severe headache being caused by an alternative and sometimes life-threatening condition is significant. Careful evaluation may be necessary before concluding the headache is due to migraine.
Patient Guides
We partnered with the American Migraine Foundation (AMF) to make these downloadable, doctor-verified patient guides available to our community. Browse our selection of guides and download them with ease.
Bring Headache and Migraine Education to Your Institution
The flagship offering of the First Contact program is our one-hour presentation, tailored to your audience’s needs and delivered by experts in headache care.
Watch the presentations on demand or bring them to your institution at no charge. We provide the speakers, slide materials, and can provide Zoom capabilities for a virtual presentation. In support of the talk, participants will have access to an ever-growing library of resources for managing headache in a primary care setting.
Headache Topics
Explore key information on the diagnosis and management of migraine and other headache disorders including acute and preventive treatment, navigating work up, behavioral treatment, pediatric migraine, and more.
Diagnosing Migraine
Navigating Work Up
Neuromodulation Treatment for Migraine
Acute Treatment for Migraine
Preventive Migraine Treatment
Behavioral Treatment for Migraine
Lifestyle Modification for Migraine
Medication Overuse Headache
Migraine With Aura
Vestibular Migraine
Pediatric Migraine
Migraine in Adolescent Patients
Migraine, Contraception, & Menstrual Cycle
Migraine, Pregnancy, & Lactation
Migraine in the Elderly
Podcasts
The First Contact podcast breaks down topics in headache medicine for healthcare professionals seeing patients with migraine and other headache disorders.
What Primary Care Providers Should Know About Newer Migraine Medications
In recent years, many new medications have been developed and approved for the treatment of headache and migraine disorders. Dr. Claire Sandoe and Dr. Michael J. Marmura review each of these new agents to help primary care providers feel comfortable incorporating them into their treatment plan.
Navigating Emergency Treatment for Patients With Migraine
When migraine or headache pain is at its peak and usual treatments aren’t effective, patients often turn to the emergency department for relief. In this episode, Dr. Benjamin W. Friedman discusses headache red flags that warrant referring to the ED, treatments that are administered to patients with migraine in the ED and more.
Examining the Link Between Dental Pain, Orofacial Pain and Migraine
Whether or not a patient has been diagnosed with migraine, it can be difficult to determine if orofacial pain needs attention from a dentist or orofacial pain specialist. What type of doctor should someone with orofacial pain see? How do you distinguish orofacial pain from migraine? Dr. Marcela Romero-Reyes answers these questions and more.
A Closer Look Into the Visual Symptoms of Migraine
Approximately 33% of patients with migraine experience fully reversible visual (most common), sensory, or other central nervous system symptoms—known as aura—prior to or during migraine attacks. Get answers to common questions about migraine aura from Dr. Kathleen B. Digre.
Recent Research
Explore the latest advancements in Headache Medicine research.
Research Summary: Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS) and migraine: A narrative review
Patients with postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS) commonly experience migraine as a comorbidity. By understanding the underlying mechanisms that may link POTS and migraine, primary care practitioners can find targeted treatments that significantly improve their patients’ quality of life.
Research Summary: Brain connectivity predicts chronic pain in acute mild traumatic brain injury
Chronic pain prediction is a tool primary care practitioners can use to stage early preventive interventions.
Research Summary: Telehealth perceptions and utilization for the delivery of headache care before and during the COVID-19 pandemic: a mixed-methods study
Innovations in healthcare can be of great benefit to patients when implemented correctly. The rise of telehealth delivery of headache-related care is one such innovation that happened largely in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Impact of Migraine in the Workplace
Studies presented at #AHS18SF reveal how migraine affects a patient’s career and financial stability
Recent News
Explore timely articles to stay up to date on the most effective diagnosis and management tools in headache and migraine care.
Advancing Headache Research: Key Priorities for the Next Decade
In a groundbreaking initiative, a multi-stakeholder international group of experts led by the American Headache Society in close collaboration with the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) and the International Headache Society (IHS), has identified critical research priorities for the headache field.
Feature a Fellow: July 2024
“Dr. Tavasoli is an excellent fellow. He is kind, compassionate, and caring towards his patients. He is dedicated to patient care and research in Headache Medicine. He excels in academics, and recently presented at the International Headache Academy on a case of an 11 month old with infantile colic/migraine variant.”
Feature a Fellow: June 2024
“We are nominating Dr. Guy Greco who is one of our two outstanding fellows this year. What stands out in his work is his sincere care and patience for our patients. He always takes his time to be thoughtful and considerate, even during a busy clinic day...
American Headache Society® and Pfizer Announce a New Headache and Migraine Grant Program Focused on Quality Improvement
The American Headache Society (AHS), dedicated to improving the lives of those affected by migraine and other headache disorders, is pleased to announce a call for proposals as part of a Quality Improvement (QI) initiative in headache medicine.
Videos
Access informative videos on effective headache and migraine diagnosis and management in primary care.
20 Common Migraine Myths Webinar
In this educational webinar, Adam Sprouse Blum, MD, debunks 20 common migraine myths. Tune in for a discussion on migraine myths and solutions to counteract these misconceptions.
Migraine in Pregnancy Webinar
In this educational webinar, Rebecca Burch, MD, FAHS, talks about the risks women with migraine can face during pregnancy and lactation, how to screen for new headache and which types of medications are safe for health care practitioners to incorporate in their treatment plans.
Menstrual Migraine Webinar
Tune in as Professor Anne MacGregor, MB, BS, MD, MSc, FFSRH, discusses the association between menstrual migraine and a woman’s menstrual cycle, in addition to the best treatment strategies for patients who experience this migraine variant.
Migraine in Pediatrics Webinar
Tune in as Lauren Doyle Strauss, DO, FAHS, and Jessica R. Gautreaux, MD, talk about the types of questions health care practitioners should ask young patients if they suspect pediatric migraine. They also discuss ways to involve children in discussions with their parents to create the best treatment plan.
Additional Resources
Treating Pediatric Headache
What physicians should think about when treating pediatric migraine.
Watch VideoAmerican Academy of Neurology Practice Guidelines
Access clinical practice guidelines to help make decisions on the diagnosis and treatment of neurological diseases.
Learn MoreAHS Position Statement on Integrating New Treatments into Clinical Practice
To provide healthcare professionals with updated guidance in the use of novel preventive and acute treatments for migraine in adults.
Learn More
Headache in Primary Care CME Page
View PDFMigraine in Pediatrics CME Page
View PDFA Woman's Migraine Journey CME Page
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