PAE News
Cluster Headache Day– 21st March in European Parliament, Brussels
‘Arguably one of the worst pains known to man’
March 2017 – The European Headache Alliance (EHA) and European Headache Federation (EHF) announce the second ‘Cluster Headache Day’ event hosted by MEP Stevens on 21st March 2017.
Pain Alliance Europe is represented in this event by the President of the association, Mr. Joop van Griensven.
Cluster Headache (CH) affects up to 4 in 1,000 people, similar to the incidence of Multiple Sclerosis and Parkinson’s Disease. Despite this, CH is under-recognized and under-treated. It is a searing pain described as a red hot poker piercing through the eye when the patient cannot remain still or lie quietly in a darkened room. Unlike migraine, which is more prevalent in women, cluster headache mainly affects men. The word ‘cluster’ refers to a period of time lasting weeks or months. An increase in the number of attacks peak at the equinox and are associated with seasonal changes and daylight hours.
The European Parliament event hosted by Flemish MEP, Helga Stevens includes presentations on Cluster Headache from a policy, medical and patient perspective.
MEP Helga Stevens highlights that for all those affected by CH timely and accurate diagnosis and appropriate treatment are key for patients.
Kalina Tyminski and Miguel Ángel Pascual, both patients, will give personal testimony focusing on the real-life experience of coping with Cluster Headache highlighting the impact on education, family life and workplace in particular.
Prof. Paolo Martelletti, President of EHF says “Cluster Headache treatment is soon going to have a new pharmacological preventative CGRP-based class that will help this desperate pain state”
Prof. Dimos Mitsikostas, former President of EHF, states that more than 600,000 people in Europe live with Cluster Headache with less than 50% consulting a specialist and more than a third of sufferers missing work at a cost of 7bn euro per year.
Ms. Bianca Ferraiolo, from Active Citizenship Network says this important initiative puts CH patients at the center when addressing critical issues of this much-underestimated disorder.
Elena Ruiz de la Torre, President of EHA explains that the activities of Cluster Headache day would include both online and offline activities as part of EHA’s public awareness campaign.
For more details, please visit:
- www.europeanheadachealliance.org
- www.ehf-org.org/last-news/
Contact details:
Elena Ruiz de la Torre, European Headache Alliance President
Email: elena@europeanheadachealliance.org Tel: + 34 639 66 99 65
Francesca Romana Britti, European Headache Federation Secretariat
Email: info@ehf-org.org Tel: +39 06 36010376 Ext. 205
