How do I find my way through the health system?

If you have migraine, or suspect that you have migraine, it is a good idea to go to the doctor. He will listen to your explanation of your symptoms and from your explanation the doctor will give you the most suitable medicine if he concludes that you actually have migraine. If you have written a diary of your attacks (when they came, how long they lasted and possibly also some general information about the phases of your attacks) it may be easier to explain to the doctor how many attacks you have.

If you have migraines more than about 10 days a month, there is reason to consider preventive medical care. A referral to a specialist in migraine and headaches could also be an option.

If you have many attacks, and you have exhausted the treatment options with the local doctor and the local neurologist, you can get a referral to one of the specialized departments.

National Health Plan for neurology includes two highly specialised departments for the treatment of migraine - the Danish Headache Centre at Glostrup Hospital and the Headache Clinic at Aarhus University Hospital. These two departments can handle 200 to 250 patients a year with hard-to-treat migraine or tension headaches, which are needed for a multidisciplinary effort.

Before patients can come to the highly specialized departments it is assumed that they have been treated ½ years or more at a department at one of 7 hospitals with basic treatment of migraine (Glostrup Hospital, Hillerod Hospital, Odense University Hospital, Esbjerg Hospital, AUH Aarhus University Hospital, AUH Aalborg Hospital, Privathospitalet Valdemar). They offer diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation of difficult headache conditions where functional capacity is compromised. The departments may treat a total of 1000 patients a year.

There are also around 43 specialists, specializing in neurolgy scattered across the country.

The Headache Clinic in Aarhus is a highly specialized area and receives patients from the Region Midt, and from all other regions if they suffer from hard-to-treat or rare headache types. The department has a physician, a nurse, a physiotherapist and a psychologist. You may be hospitalized, for example,for the detoxification of overuse of medication.

Headache Clinic found on the Department of Neurology, Nørrebrogade 44, Bldg. 1A, ground floor, 8000 Aarhus C.

Danish Headache Centre at Glostrup Hospital is also a highly specialized adeling. It includes a day care specifically for migraine and headache patients, and can treat around 1000 patients a year, especially with migraine, tension headache, cluster headache or trigeminal pain.

The center has a doctor, psychologist, physiotherapist and nurse. The treatment includes opportunity to learn biofeedback - ie. the individual patient can learn to control their muscle tension. The center also organizes 'Headache schools', where patients learn to manage their headaches so they feel better.

The centre is located in House 14, North - Glostrup Hospital, Ndr. Ringvej 57, 2600 Glostrup.

The journey to the two highly specialized departments always starts with the practitioner and one must usually exhaust all treatment underway before being referred to the next step:

Practitioner -> Neurologist -> Hospital department -> Highly  specialized department

Is your doctor (general practitioner or specialist) on the Health Agency's list of doctors who have been ordered, is under encreased supervision, or have undergone total or partial reduction of its authorization?

If you feel your doctor does not make you a fair deal, you can switch to another, or at www.sundhed.dk. A complaint can be sent via the Internet.