BACKGROUND:

The New England Center for Headache, founded by Drs. Alan Rapoport and Fred Sheftell in 1979, has gained international recognition in the field of headache treatment and research. Our medical staff, which includes Dr. Stewart Tepper as Director, have together written 8 books on the subject on headache and contributed over 350 articles, chapters, posters and abstracts to the medical literature. Dr. Deborah Tepper, an internist, joined the center in 2006. The Center’s founders have been featured expert guests on such shows as the Today Show, Good Morning America, 20/20, NPR’s Fresh Air as well as numerous others. While we cannot offer a cure, we can work earnestly toward an improved quality of life, better headache control, and fewer headache days each month.

OUR PHILOSOPHY:

We will try our best to understand your headache condition, to explain it to you, and give you control of your headaches – and we will do it as efficiently and painlessly as we can.

OUR MISSION:

• To restore quality of life through the most up to date treatment techniques available.
• To educate sufferers and their families as to the mechanisms of headache disorders and to underscore our firm belief that your pain is real and headache is fundamentally a biologic, not psychologic disorder.
• To establish realistic goals and expectations and to work towards an alliance between our staff and our patients.
• To educate spouses and other family members, healthcare providers, insurance companies, bosses, educators, and the public at large as to the devastating impact of headache on work, home/school, and play.
• Through research to further our scientific understanding of headache and to provide new and more effective headache therapies. We may ask you to participate in a clinical research project involving the latest headache treatments.
• To provide these comprehensive therapies in the most cost-effective, patient-friendly manner possible.

YOUR INITIAL VISIT:

Your introduction to the Center starts with an in-depth evaluation of your medical and headache history along with a comprehensive review of all previous treatments and tests. We pay close attention to diet, exercise as well as important aspects of family, work/school, social life, and leisure time activities. Our team of headache experts uses the most up to date neurologic testing and diagnostic techniques. You can expect your initial visit to last from two to four hours depending on the complexity of your individual situation.

At the completion of your first visit, you will have begun to understand the nature of your headache problem, your complaints and your individual treatment. Your plan will be individualized for you along with tools for you to use such as a headache calendar with which to monitor progress, identify trigger factors, record medication intake, acute and daily preventive medication, exercise, behavioral modification, menstrual cycles and other important factors based on your specific headache symptoms.
Depending on your history, your treatment may involve a combination of suggested changes in diet, vitamin and mineral intake, exercise, medication, behavioral modification, biofeedback training, and recommendations for a gradual change in life-style habits that may be interfering with your progress. Additional medical referrals or diagnostic testing may be recommended as well.

Although 90% of our patients can be managed through out-patient interventions, patients with headaches that have been refractory to all reasonable approaches may be referred out to an in-patient facility where state of the art aggressive therapies are available. An inpatient program is especially designed for those sufferers who have become dependent on pain medication, and/or have coexisting medical or psychological problems that require more intensive and complex interventions.
Prior to your first visit you will be asked to bring a list of all previous medications and you will be asked to complete detailed medical history forms. Please attend to these carefully as filling them out accurately in advance will make your initial visit more productive for you.

During your initial visit you will undergo a history taking session, a detailed neurological examination, a physiological evaluation, a psychological short answer test, a closing summary session with your doctor reviewing your findings and your diagnoses and setting out the treatment plan, and a closing educational session implementing the treatment plan and setting up any further appointments. You will leave with a written treatment plan, a headache calendar to fill out on a daily basis and prescriptions for any medication you and your doctor decide on.

FOLLOW-UP VISITS:

The first follow-up visit may occur between two and eight weeks after your first visit depending on the intensity of your symptoms. At these visits we review your headache calendars and monitor frequency, intensity, and duration of headache episodes, review trigger factors, diet, medication, changes in symptoms and overall response to treatment. Changes in your treatment plans are made accordingly. When extra time with your physician is necessary you may be scheduled for an extended re-visit. Medications are refilled at this time.

To avoid a charge to your account, please extend the Center and other patients the courtesy of notifying us of a cancellation (24 hours in advance notice is preferable.) We will attempt to give you plenty of notice if we must change your appointment time.

PERSCRIPTION REFILLS:

Prescription refills may be requested Monday through Thursday 8am -5pm. Patients requesting a refill should contact their pharmacy and have them fax us the request at 203-968-8303. Pharmacies having a question regarding a prescripion should call the main number, press 2, and leave a message. No medications will be refilled when the office is closed: after 5 pm and Friday through Sunday. Refills should not occur on an emergency basis.

PHONE CALLS:

During Office Hours: Most phone calls can be handled by our specially trained headache nurses. A nurse will record the nature of your call and consult with your doctor. We recognize that emergencies occur and we will make every attempt to return your call as soon as possible. Please understand that the professional staff is usually involved with on—site patient care and at times the phone lines may be tied up. Please try to be patient. Leaving a message will result in a quick response

After Office Hours: In the event of an emergency when the office is closed, a member of the medical staff will call you as soon as possible. Please have your pharmacy’s phone number available. If you cannot wait for a return call and have reason for concern, be go to the nearest acute care medical facility. We attempt to reduce your need for emergency calls by giving you several options and appropriate medications for emergency treatment. If nothing has worked, we may have to send you to an Emergency Room.

OFFICE HOURS:

The Center is open Monday through Thursday from 8:00 AM to noon and 1 to 5 pm. We cannot accept e-mail.

THE NEW ENGLAND CENTER FOR HEADACHE
778 LONG RIDGE ROAD
STAMFORD, CT 06902-1251
203 968-1799
203 968-8303 FAX
For Clinical Trial information call (203) 322-2748.
Website: http://www.headachenech.com