A third of migraine patients are not offered preventive therapy

More than a third of eligible migraine patients were not offered the option for preventive therapy, according to the new research presented at the American Headache Society.

The researchers stated that one of the major reasons for the low rate of migraine prevention treatment is that migraine patients do not consult clinicians, and thus do not get an accurate diagnosis. Other reasons include cost, lack of access, lack of awareness, as well as stigma associated with pain.

Migraine is the 6th most disabling illness in the world and is the most disabling primary headache that affects around 18% of women, 6% of men and 10% of children in the US, according to the Migraine Research Foundation.

Migraine headaches are very severe headaches that tend to occur on one side of the head and are often accompanied by symptoms like nausea, extreme sensitivity to light or sound, or visual issues like tunnel vision or blurry “spots.” A migraine attack can incapacitate a person for many days. While the headache can last for up to 72 hours, it can be preceded by a prodrome that can last from a few hours to several days and can be followed by a postdrome that can last from 24-48 hours.

 An inadequate migraine preventive treatment plan can have a profound psychological impact on migraineurs. High proportion of patients who have never used preventive medication experience moderate or severe disability (64.7%), depression (43%), and anxiety (39%).

At New York Neurology Associates, migraine patients are offered personalized migraine prevention plans that may include oral medications, injections, and lifestyle change plans all of which can help prevent migraine headache days.