Like the Northern Lights, the International Forum for Headache Nurses (IFHN) annual meeting in Oslo brought together different colours, voices and experiences from across the world. Held at Domus Medica, Oslo, Norway, the meeting gathered members and colleagues from ten countries including Norway, the UK, Ireland, Denmark, the Netherlands, Japan, Spain, Belgium, Sweden and Estonia.
There was something very fitting about meeting in Norway, a country known for its beautiful fjords… deep, connected and shaped over time. In many ways, the meeting felt the same. Over two days, we created beautiful connections, shared experiences from different healthcare systems, and strengthened the bonds within our growing international headache nursing community. It was not just a meeting filled with excellent lectures and workshops. It was a space where people came together with warmth, openness and a shared purpose. There was a real sense that, although we all came from different countries and different services, we were connected by the same commitment: to improve the lives of people living with headache disorders.
The meeting opened with the first session, delivered by Prof Anne Hege Aamodt and Dr Burcu Bezgal, focused on treatment options in chronic migraine. It was a great way to begin the programme, giving us an overview of where we are now with treatment and how much the field has moved forward. It also reminded us that chronic migraine remains complex, and that treatment is never just about prescribing, it is about listening to patients, understanding their burden and supporting them through what can often be a long and difficult journey.
This was followed by Dr Maria Argren’s session on medication-overuse headache, with the very fitting title When Treatment Becomes the Trigger. This was such an important topic for headache nurses, as we are often the ones having those careful and sometimes difficult conversations with patients. The session highlighted the importance of education, trust and supporting patients without making them feel blamed for trying to manage their pain.
The session on Digital Home Follow-up for Headache, presented by Dr Bendik Slagvold Winsvold and Ingrid Antoinette Ter Woerds Christensen, gave the attendees a really interesting look at how digital tools can support headache care. It was encouraging to see how technology can help patients feel more connected and monitored, especially between appointments. It also opened up good discussion about how we can use digital follow-up in a way that supports, rather than replaces, the human side of care.
After lunch, Dr Kjersti Vetvik and Inger Louise Hole spoke about multidisciplinary headache treatment and helping patients return to work. This session really stood out because it focused on function, confidence and quality of life. As headache nurses, we know that headache disorders affect so much more than pain scores. They affect work, family life, confidence and identity. This session reminded us how important it is to look at the whole person and to work together as a multidisciplinary team.
Dr Kjersti Vetvik then delivered a very useful session on women’s health and migraine, asking the important question: what do hormones have to do with it? This was a really relevant and practical session, covering an area that many patients ask about in clinic. It highlighted the need for us to be confident in talking about menstrual migraine, pregnancy, perimenopause and menopause, and to make sure women feel heard and supported at every stage.
One of the lovely parts of the programme was the session on headache care in different countries, with presentations from the UK, the Netherlands and Norway. It was fascinating to hear how services are organised in different systems and also reassuring to realise that many of the challenges we face are shared. It was a great reminder that there is so much we can learn from each other, and that international collaboration can help us think differently about our own services.
The IFHN update from the President, Jennifer Trouerbach, gave us time to reflect on the progress of the forum and where we go next. It was lovely to hear about collaboration, next steps and the continued growth of IFHN. This really captured the heart of the forum: nurses supporting nurses, sharing expertise and building something meaningful together.
The afternoon continued with Dr Aud Nome Dueland’s session on cluster headache and TACs, which was a very clear and practical reminder of how to differentiate between the primary headache types. This was followed by the session on health literacy, delivered by Dr Aud Nome Dueland and Kristina Galåen Kuhlefelt. This was another important topic, because even the best treatment plan will not work if patients do not understand it or feel confident following it. It reminded us that empowering patients starts with communication that is clear, kind and accessible.
The day ended with dinner at Olivia Aker Brygge, which was such a lovely part of the meeting. The dinner gave everyone a chance to continue conversations in a more relaxed setting, to get to know each other properly and to share experiences from different countries. These informal moments are so important. They are where ideas are exchanged, friendships are formed and future collaborations often begin. It was a beautiful reminder that professional communities are built not only in lecture rooms, but also around the dinner table.
The second day focused on communication in healthcare, which felt very fitting for headache nursing. Professor Emerita Hilde Eide opened the day by sharing what the research shows about communication and why it matters. It was a powerful reminder that communication is not a soft skill but rather a clinical skill. The way we listen, explain and respond can make such a difference to how patients feel and how they engage with their care.
The session on The Four Habits Model, led by Dr Jørgen Sandberg Michelsen and Anna Stella von Malchus Kyed Johnsen, was practical and engaging. It gave us a useful structure for thinking about how we communicate with patients, especially in busy clinical settings. The workshops and case discussions that followed allowed us to reflect on real situations and practise skills that we can take back into our own clinical practice.
The meeting closed with a real sense of warmth and shared purpose. It was clear that everyone left Oslo with new learning, new connections and renewed motivation to continue developing headache nursing in their own countries.
A heartfelt thank you goes to Prof Anne Hege Aamodt, who was instrumental in making this meeting happen. Her leadership, generosity and commitment helped create a meeting that was not only educational, but also welcoming and inspiring.
As Prof Anne Hege said “It was a pleasure to welcome such an outstanding group of colleagues, and I am grateful for the time and effort you invested in making the meeting a success. The feedback from participants has been overwhelmingly positive, and your contributions played an important role in making the meeting both educational and inspiring. The meeting also provided a valuable opportunity to strengthen international collaborations and further develop the headache nursing community.” A special thank you also goes to Kristine Jacobsen, who served as Co-Chair of IFHN 2026. Kristine’s dedication, enthusiasm and tireless work throughout the planning and delivery of the meeting were instrumental to its success. Her warmth and attention to detail helped make everyone feel welcomed, and it was clear how much care went into making the meeting such a success.
As we look back on Oslo with so much gratitude, there is also something exciting to look forward to the next IFHN meeting in Dublin, Ireland. The journey continues beautifully, from the Northern Lights and fjords of Norway to the River Liffey of Dublin. Different places, different stories, but the same shared purpose: bringing headache nurses together to learn, connect and continue building this special international community.
IFHN 