NHF InSights

Fighting to Feel Better

If migraine has ever made you feel stuck, this conversation is for you. In this episode of NHF InSights, we explore what it really takes to access migraine care—and why the process can be so challenging. This patient-centered conversation looks beyond the migraine attack itself and into the real-world barriers people face when trying to get treatment, including insurance denials, step therapy requirements, delays, and changing formularies. You’ll learn: - Why treatment delays and insurance denials happen—and how they impact daily life - How patients can prepare for appointments and advocate for their care - The role providers play in navigating access challenges - How advocacy efforts aim to improve access This conversation isn’t just about what’s broken. It’s about what’s possible when patients, providers, and advocates work together. Supported by Lundbeck. Content developed independently by the NHF.

Why Migraine Care Starts in Primary Care ft. Dr. Hope O'Brien and Dr. Andrew Blumenfeld

Primary care clinicians and APPs see the majority of patients living with migraine, and that means they are uniquely positioned to improve outcomes. In this episode of NHF InSights™: Primary Care/APP edition, Hope O’Brien, MD and Andrew Blumenfeld, MD, discuss why early diagnosis and treatment, prevention-forward care, and mechanism-based treatment decisions matter. From using a simple screening tool like ID Migraine to pre-diagnose, and understanding acute and preventive therapy options, this conversation focuses on practical strategies that can be implemented in clinical settings. Learn why migraine-specific therapies are now recommended as first-line preventive care and how reducing the frequency of attacks helps prevent long-term disability and disease progression. Migraine is a complex neurological disease, not “just a headache.” Primary care clinicians and advanced practice providers play a critical role in breaking stigma, intervening early, and improving long-term outcomes. Supported by AbbVie. Content developed independently by the NHF.

Why Migraine Prevention Matters in Primary Care ft. Dr. Jaclyn Duvall and Dr. Stewart Tepper

In this episode of NHF InSights™: Primary Care/APP edition, host Jaclyn Duvall, MD, is joined by Stewart Tepper, MD, to discuss why primary care and advanced practice providers are essential to improving outcomes and quality of life for people living with migraine disease. Primary care offices see the majority of patients presenting with the symptoms of migraine disease and are uniquely positioned to initiate diagnosis, start acute treatment earlier, and help prevent disease progression. This conversation focuses on practical strategies providers can use in busy practices, including quick screening approaches, when to begin preventive therapy, and how newer migraine-specific treatments are changing care. The episode also explores evolving clinical guidance supporting FDA approved migraine-specific medications as first-line therapy, and key findings from the TEMPLE Phase 3 trial comparing atogepant with topiramate. You’ll learn: - How to quickly screen and identify likely migraine disease in a busy clinic setting - When to initiate preventive therapy based on patient disability, not just frequency of attacks - How CGRP-targeted therapies and gepants are shifting first-line treatment decisions and should be considered earlier - What the TEMPLE study means for tolerability, effectiveness, and patient quality of life - Practical steps primary care clinicians can take to bring care and hope to patients This episode highlights how newer migraine-specific treatments, and confident prescribing in primary care, have the potential to significantly improve patient outcomes and quality of life. This episode is supported by AbbVie.

Migraine and Co-Morbid Conditions ft. Dr. Fred Cohen and Nancy Harris Bonk

NHF InSights™ is a podcast from the National Headache Foundation that explores important topics in headache and migraine through thoughtful conversations with experts, advocates, and people with lived experience. Each season focuses on a different theme—ranging from clinical care and research to intersections in the workplace, mental wellbeing, and common comorbidities—offering valuable insights for patients, families, and healthcare professionals alike. In this first episode of our NHF Insights series on migraine and other co-morbid/co-occurring conditions hosted by NHF CEO Katy Oakley, Dr. Fred Cohen and Nancy Harris Bonk discuss the connections among migraine and common co-morbidities from both the physician and patient perspective. They also provide practical tips on how patients and providers can work together to manage multiple conditions. On this episode they explore: · How patients can ensure they get an accurate diagnosis of both migraine and their other co-morbid conditions when walking multiple disease journeys · How patients can work with their providers to determine the best therapy for each person · How patients can manage, diagnose, and treat their migraine along with other co-morbid conditions · How patients can they live their best life with co-morbidities Find out more about these connections in this insightful episode! Other future episodes in this series will do a deep dive on the connection among migraine and depression/anxiety and migraine and sleep. This InSights series is supported by Axsome.

Feeling Seen by Your Provider

In the final episode of our NHF Insights series, Dr. Jaclyn Duvall and Dr. Karen Cassiday discuss the importance of feeling seen by healthcare providers. Many survey respondents expressed frustration that their doctors didn’t fully understand their pain, mental health challenges, or the complexity of migraine. How can we improve patient-provider communication? Find out in this insightful episode! This three-part mini-series of NHF Insights reflects on results of The Harris Poll: Migraine Report card supported by Lundbeck.