Headache Group Launches Program for Returning Vets

November 9, 2010; Source: PR Newswire | Returning home after war has its share of headaches for veterans, and not just the stuff of metaphors—but real and painful ones that require medical help. To combat the rate of migraines in soldiers coming home from Iraq and Afghanistan—which is said to be twice that of the general population—The National Headache Foundation (NHF) is launching the War Veterans Health Resource Initiative. According to a statement from the group, its purpose is to provide “veterans with a single, comprehensive source for information on all aspects of post-deployment life, including headache and migraine.” Calling it the first program the group has ever offered for active duty, reserve, and discharged military personnel, Robert Dalton, NHF executive director, says the initiative will provide veterans “with the information that can help them manage their headaches and find the right treatment.”

Veterans and their families will be able to learn how to deal with headaches and other challenges affecting their health at NHF’s website. In addition to books, brochures and other educational materials featured on the site, there are links to information about military discounts, medical experts, treatment facilities, physical therapy, mental health counseling, job training and disability claims assistance.

“I have been seeing a lot of soldiers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan with migraines. It is a complex health care problem, with many factors that can increase or decrease the frequency and duration of attacks. The NHF site is going to be useful to my patients and their families in dealing with this challenge,” said Dr. Marc Husid, director of the Walton Headache Center of Walton Rehabilitation Health System in Augusta, Ga.—Bruce Trachtenberg