Migraine Mastery: PAINWeek 2025 Series Preview

Headaches—particularly migraines—represent one of the most common yet challenging conditions that healthcare providers encounter daily. Despite affecting approximately 20% of women and 5% of men, migraines remain significantly underdiagnosed and undertreated. At the upcoming PAINWeek 2025, a powerful three-part series will equip clinicians with cutting-edge approaches to headache management. 

Expert-Led Comprehensive Series 

This specialized track features renowned headache expert Dr. Paul G. Mathew, Assistant Professor of Neurology at Harvard Medical School/Mass General Brigham/Atrius Health, who will lead two in-depth sessions, complemented by a procedural-focused presentation from Dr. Kimberly Sackheim, Medical Director and Owner of Spine & Pain Total Care. 

Session 1: Diagnosis - Headache, It's All in Your Head...Or Is It? 

Dr. Mathew's first session tackles the complex challenge of headache diagnosis. Clinicians across primary care, neurology, and pain practice know that headache evaluation can be cumbersome and challenging even for seasoned professionals. 

The presentation will explore how various factors—including stress, sleep dysfunction, hormonal fluctuations, weather changes, psychiatric comorbidities, and other pain conditions—can exacerbate headaches. Attendees will learn essential elements of a comprehensive headache evaluation: 

• Conducting headache-specific history and physical examinations 

• Recognizing warning signs of secondary headache disorders 

• Determining when further testing is warranted 

• Applying the International Headache Society's Classification (ICHD-3) 

With special focus on migraine—the most common yet underdiagnosed headache disorder—this session aims to improve diagnostic accuracy across diverse patient populations. 

Session 2: Treatment and Case Studies - Practical Approaches to Headache Management 

Building on diagnostic foundations, Dr. Mathew's second presentation explores the treatment landscape for headache disorders. Attendees will gain insights into: 

• Trigger avoidance strategies and lifestyle coaching 

• Abortive and preventive medication protocols 

• Procedural intervention options 

• Cutting-edge therapies targeting calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) 

  • Monoclonal antibodies for prevention 

  • Small-molecule CGRP antagonists (gepants) for both abortive and preventive care 

The session will also address the top 10 common pitfalls in headache management, illustrated through practical case studies that demonstrate real-world application of evidence-based approaches. 

Session 3: Taking a "Jab" at Migraines - Procedural Interventions 

Completing the series, Dr. Kimberly Sackheim will provide a comprehensive overview of injection and neuromodulation techniques for headache management, with particular attention to jaw pain. This hands-on session will cover: 

• Various injection locations for headache and jaw pain management 

• Establishing medical necessity for botulinum toxin injections 

• Proper technique demonstration for the 31 FDA-approved botulinum toxin injection sites for chronic migraine prevention 

Why Attend This Series? 

With headache disorders affecting millions of Americans and significantly impacting quality of life, this comprehensive series offers clinicians practical tools to improve patient outcomes. From accurate diagnosis through the latest treatment options to procedural interventions, attendees will gain a complete toolkit for modern headache management. 

Mark your calendar for PAINWeek 2025 and prepare to transform your approach to headache care with these expert-led sessions. 

Other Categories:

• migraine