Medical device maker CEFALY Technology announced a collaboration with Genesis Women’s Shelter & Support in Dallas, Texas to help domestic violence survivors living with migraine.
As part of its CEFALY Cares initiative, CEFALY Technology has provided Genesis with its innovative migraine treatment and prevention device, as well as educational resources and one-on-one training on migraine management and prevention.
More than 39 million Americans — most of them women — live with migraine, which is a complex and debilitating neurological disorder. Migraine attacks are most commonly characterized by an intense pulsing or throbbing headache on one side of the head, and also may involve other symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, and sensitivity to light and sound.
Migraine and domestic violence are intertwined in multiple ways:
- Research has shown that people who experience or witness domestic violence in childhood are more likely to develop a headache disorder as adults.
- In one study, women who had experienced intimate partner violence had increased odds of also having migraine — especially if they also had depression.
- Stress is the most commonly reported trigger for migraine attacks. The intense stress of an abusive relationship may make migraine worse or increase the frequency of attacks.
- Leaving an abuser may be more difficult for survivors who live with a chronic illness, such as migraine, if they have been prevented from having independent access to support.
- Even after a survivor has left an abuser, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) may contribute to migraine.
Jen Trainor McDermott, CEO of CEFALY Technology
“Leaving an abusive relationship and recovering from trauma is hard for anyone — and it can be even more difficult for women living with debilitating migraine pain. CEFALY is proud to partner with Genesis Women’s Shelter & Support to empower the women they serve by providing a drug-free, clinically proven migraine solution that helps them get back to life.”
Genesis is the first women’s shelter receiving a migraine treatment device, training, and education through the CEFALY Cares program. If your organization serves survivors of domestic and sexual violence and would like to participate in CEFALY Cares, please reach out to CEFALY.
About the CEFALY device:
CEFALY Technology is the maker of CEFALY, an FDA-cleared, over-the-counter wearable medical device clinically proven to help reduce migraine frequency and relieve migraine pain. CEFALY is a non-invasive device placed on the forehead to modify pain sensation in the area research identifies as a center for migraine pain, the trigeminal nerve.
The Bluetooth-enabled CEFALY Connected syncs with the CeCe Migraine Management app and enables users to track CEFALY treatments and log migraine attacks on their mobile device. With these insights, they can better understand their migraine patterns and optimize their treatments.
About Genesis Women’s Shelter & Support:
Genesis Women’s Shelter & Support was founded in 1985 with a goal to not just help women, but to completely eradicate domestic violence. Last year, Genesis served 3,700 women and children at their emergency shelter, transitional housing apartments, and nonresidential offices. Genesis provides services like counseling, legal, advocacy, childcare, occupational therapy and more at no cost and with no strings attached so women know there is help and there is hope.