Post by Bob Johnson on Nov 21st, 2014 at 4:10pm
It will help us to direct you to good sources of assistance if you will tell us where you live (city & state, if U.S. or country). At the Home page: Help button-->Edit & Profile --> Location. (This will add your location, just below your name, every time you post a message.
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The complexity of Cluster requires, if at all possible, working wiwth a Headache Specialist. The average doc, even neourologists, have meager training/experience in this area.
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LOCATING HEADACHE SPECIALIST
1. Yellow Pages phone book: look for "Headache Clinics" in the M.D. section and look under "neurologist" where some docs will list speciality areas of practice.
2. Call your hospital/medical center. They often have an office to assist in finding a physician. You may have to ask for the social worker/patient advocate.
3. START PRINTPAGEMultimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!! You need to
or 
END PRINTPAGE; On-line screen to find a physician.
4. START PRINTPAGEMultimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!! You need to or END PRINTPAGE Look for "Physician Finder" search box. They will send a list of M.D.s for your state.I suggest using this source for several reasons: first, we have read several messages from people who, even seeing neurologists, are unhappy with the quality of care and ATTITUDES they have encountered; second, the clinical director of the Jefferson (Philadelphia) Headache Clinic said, in late 1999, that upwards of 40%+ of U.S. doctors have poor training in treating headache and/or hold attitudes about headache ("hysterical female disorder") which block them from sympathetic and effective work with the patient; third, it's necessary to find a doctor who has experience, skill, and a set of attitudes which give hope of success. This is the best method I know of to find such a physician.
5. START PRINTPAGEMultimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!! You need to or END PRINTPAGE NEW certification program for "Headache Medicine" by the United Council for Neurologic Subspecialties, an independent, non-profit, professional medical organization.
Since this is a new program, the initial listing is limited and so it should be checked each time you have an interest in locating a headache doctor.
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WHY A HEADACHE SPECIALIST IS RECOMMENDED
Headache. 2012 Jan;52(1):99-113.
Cluster headache in the United States of America: demographics, clinical characteristics, triggers, suicidality, and personal burden.
Rozen TD, Fishman RS.
THERE REMAINS A SIGNIFICANT DIAGNOSTIC DELAY FOR CLUSTER HEADACHE PATIENTS ON AVERAGE 5+ YEARS WITH ONLY 21% RECEIVING A CORRECT DIAGNOSIS AT TIME OF INITIAL PRESENTATION.
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This recommendation has become more important as the recognition grows that there are a nulmber of disorders, some rahter serious, which mimic Cluster, but which are not headache disorders.
You will receive a number of suggestions for various treatments but it's unwise to self-diagnose or self-treat without having first received a solid diagnosis from a competent doctor.
As you seek a good doc, learn, learn!
These sites which are worth your attention: medical literature, films, plus the expected information
about CH.
START PRINTPAGEMultimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!! You need to or END PRINTPAGE
------
START PRINTPAGEMultimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!! You need to or END PRINTPAGE Search under "cluster headache"
-------
START PRINTPAGEMultimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!! You need to or END PRINTPAGE
Full of articles, blogs, book: written by one of the best headache docs in the Chicago area.
Worth exploring. The latest book is in e-book edition, $10; comprehensive and worth buying for
a careful read.
=============
Of equal importance to working with a good doc is to learn to not panic or despair. Cluster is a troublesome but not serious/life threatening disorder. It's often confusing because the symptoms change over time adding to the tension/confusion. But the vast majority of us here bear witness to the real possibility of living good lives once we learn how to cope/treat our buddy.
Keep reading here and keep us informed.
==================================
The complexity of Cluster requires, if at all possible, working wiwth a Headache Specialist. The average doc, even neourologists, have meager training/experience in this area.
--------
LOCATING HEADACHE SPECIALIST
1. Yellow Pages phone book: look for "Headache Clinics" in the M.D. section and look under "neurologist" where some docs will list speciality areas of practice.
2. Call your hospital/medical center. They often have an office to assist in finding a physician. You may have to ask for the social worker/patient advocate.
3. START PRINTPAGEMultimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!! You need to
or END PRINTPAGE; On-line screen to find a physician.4. START PRINTPAGEMultimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!! You need to
or END PRINTPAGE Look for "Physician Finder" search box. They will send a list of M.D.s for your state.I suggest using this source for several reasons: first, we have read several messages from people who, even seeing neurologists, are unhappy with the quality of care and ATTITUDES they have encountered; second, the clinical director of the Jefferson (Philadelphia) Headache Clinic said, in late 1999, that upwards of 40%+ of U.S. doctors have poor training in treating headache and/or hold attitudes about headache ("hysterical female disorder") which block them from sympathetic and effective work with the patient; third, it's necessary to find a doctor who has experience, skill, and a set of attitudes which give hope of success. This is the best method I know of to find such a physician. 5. START PRINTPAGEMultimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!! You need to
or END PRINTPAGE NEW certification program for "Headache Medicine" by the United Council for Neurologic Subspecialties, an independent, non-profit, professional medical organization.Since this is a new program, the initial listing is limited and so it should be checked each time you have an interest in locating a headache doctor.
=====================================================================
WHY A HEADACHE SPECIALIST IS RECOMMENDED
Headache. 2012 Jan;52(1):99-113.
Cluster headache in the United States of America: demographics, clinical characteristics, triggers, suicidality, and personal burden.
Rozen TD, Fishman RS.
THERE REMAINS A SIGNIFICANT DIAGNOSTIC DELAY FOR CLUSTER HEADACHE PATIENTS ON AVERAGE 5+ YEARS WITH ONLY 21% RECEIVING A CORRECT DIAGNOSIS AT TIME OF INITIAL PRESENTATION.
=========
This recommendation has become more important as the recognition grows that there are a nulmber of disorders, some rahter serious, which mimic Cluster, but which are not headache disorders.
You will receive a number of suggestions for various treatments but it's unwise to self-diagnose or self-treat without having first received a solid diagnosis from a competent doctor.
As you seek a good doc, learn, learn!
These sites which are worth your attention: medical literature, films, plus the expected information
about CH.
START PRINTPAGEMultimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!! You need to
or END PRINTPAGE------
START PRINTPAGEMultimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!! You need to
or END PRINTPAGE Search under "cluster headache"-------
START PRINTPAGEMultimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!! You need to
or END PRINTPAGEFull of articles, blogs, book: written by one of the best headache docs in the Chicago area.
Worth exploring. The latest book is in e-book edition, $10; comprehensive and worth buying for
a careful read.
=============
Of equal importance to working with a good doc is to learn to not panic or despair. Cluster is a troublesome but not serious/life threatening disorder. It's often confusing because the symptoms change over time adding to the tension/confusion. But the vast majority of us here bear witness to the real possibility of living good lives once we learn how to cope/treat our buddy.
Keep reading here and keep us informed.