About the Danish Headache Center
Messoud Ashina
The Danish Headache Center is the first headache center in Denmark and Scandinavia to offer a multidisciplinary approach to the diagnosis and treatment of patients with rare or severe headache disorders and cranial neuralgias.
The Danish Headache Center was founded in 2001 on the basis of twenty years of headache research at the international frontline. From a modest start it rapidly expanded due to a huge need for better diagnosis and treatment of headache disorders. Doctors, nurses, physiotherapists and psychologists work closely together supported by administrative assistants. All therapy is evidence based and the newest scientific advances are always implemented immediately.
The center had 7 different locations within the Rigshospitalet – Glostrup until January 2018 when we moved into our new building. It was designed and built to purpose following advice from patient organisations. The ground floor contains patient management with almost 40 employees and the research facility on the first floor has a similar number of employees. The building facilitates interdisciplinary treatment and close collaboration between patient management and research. The center annually accepts 1250 new patients and the total number of contacts is around 12.000.
The new Danish Headache Center was initiated in January 2018
The Danish Headache Center is also a referral resource for patients with difficult headache diseases referred from private neurologists and outpatient neurology clinics.
During the initial visit, the Center’s neurologists make an accurate diagnosis of the type of headache. Comprehensive individual or group treatment programs are then recommended based on the patient’s specific history, prior treatment and current diagnosis. The Center has a multidisciplinary inpatient program for patients with particularly severe and complicated headache disorders.
In addition, the Center includes one of the leading Headache Research Groups in the world. The Center participates in pre- and postgraduate teachings for medical students, neurologists, general practitioners, pain specialists, dentists, nurses, psychologists, and physiotherapists.