West Chester, OH - Headache puts a strain on all facets of one's quality of life, from the physical, psychological, social, and spiritual, to role-functioning and overall well-being. In order to address the needs of headache sufferers in West Chester and the surrounding communities, West Chester Medical Center is teaming with neurologist Zainab Contractor, MD, director of clinical research, ClinExcel Research, in cooperation with the National Headache Foundation (NHF), to launch a Headache Education and Support Group - the first of its kind in the Greater Cincinnati area.
The first meeting of the headache support group is scheduled for Tuesday, August 11, 2009, from 6:30 - 7: 30 p.m. at West Chester Medical Center in the Plaza Conference Center, Level A. The group will continue to meet the second Tuesday of every month at West Chester Medical Center. To register for the support group, visit www.clinexcel.com, or call 513-777-2543 for more information.
"We are very excited to have the opportunity to reach out to all the people in our community who suffer from headaches, and we welcome them into our beautiful new hospital as the meeting place for their support group," says Carol King, senior vice president, West Chester Medical Center.
Treatment of headache is multi-faceted. The most effective treatment begins with a proper diagnosis from a physician; however, support from one's friends, family and community is a coping method that often goes overlooked. Dr. Contractor, who is the facilitator of the support group, is an experienced neurologist and practiced in Cincinnati prior to joining ClinExcel Research in West Chester. She has special interest in women's neurological health including headaches and migraine. She is a member of the American Academy of Neurology and the American Heart and Stroke Association.
"It's a wonderful opportunity to start a headache support group in this area - one of the only groups of its kind in the state - and we hope to provide resources to those who attend. Headaches are often misunderstood by those who don't experience them, but I know the disruption that they can cause in one's life. I hope the support group will make a real difference in the way we think of the disease, as well as give hope to those who have been suffering their whole lives," says Dr. Contractor.
ClinExcel Research has been serving the Greater Cincinnati area since 2001, and is dedicated to clinical research to find new and improved treatments for headache. The organization hopes to foster an understanding environment where headache sufferers, their families and friends can meet and discuss common problems and receive empathy from fellow sufferers, while learning more about coping with their disease, both from a medical and lay-person point of view.
According to the NHF, nearly 30 million Americans suffer from migraine headaches, and over half of them have a family history of migraine. The foundation's mission is to enhance the well-being of headache sufferers by advocating the understanding of the headache condition as a legitimate neurological disease. The NHF has served as a source of help to headache sufferers, physicians, and the public alike.
West Chester Medical Center is a new 160-bed hospital in West Chester, Ohio, providing the latest technology delivered in a healing environment. Conveniently located and easily accessible, services include a full-service emergency department, and inpatient and outpatient diagnostic and treatment services. For more information about West Chester Medical Center, go to www.westchestermedcenter.com.
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