Upstate Medical University opens center for treatment of headaches

SYRACUSE, N.Y. — The headache is the focus of a new clinic at Upstate Medical University.

The 3,800-square-foot Headache Center and Infusion Clinic, which is part of the Upstate Bone and Joint Center, is located at 6620 Fly Road in DeWitt.

Dr. Awss Zidan — a neurologist who serves as the center’s co-director with another neurologist, Dr. Ioana Medrea — said headaches account for one in 10 primary-care visits and one in three neurology referrals.

The migraine alone is estimated to affect 11 percent of the population and can be a “major limitation” in quality of life, and a contributor to the incidence of disability, according to Upstate.

“Upstate has recognized the need for a dedicated comprehensive headache center to provide the optimum care for these patients in our community,” Zidan said. “This state-of-art facility is specifically designed and built in keeping with the special needs for our headache patients.”

The headache center provides multidisciplinary care to headache patients. Patients will see specialty-trained neurologists and headache providers, who can evaluate and manage the variety of headache and facial pain conditions, such as migraine, tension headache, cluster headache, trigeminal neuralgia.

In addition to headache specialists, the Upstate Headache Center provides a line of treatments for headache patients, including intravenous infusions, and head and neck procedures that can alleviate their pain, Upstate said. The facility includes 12 infusion chairs and four private-exam rooms.