Migraine and other headache disorders: A global concern

Headache disorders remained among the most common neurological conditions worldwide, affecting an estimated 40% of the global population in 2021. Despite their widespread impact, they continued to be underestimated and under-treated, leading to significant personal suffering, reduced quality of life and substantial economic loss.

Migraine alone ranked as the third-highest cause of disability-adjusted life years globally, after stroke and neonatal encephalopathy. Many people lived with recurring headaches without proper diagnosis or treatment, contributing to avoidable disability and productivity loss.

Types of headache disorders: Several headache disorders were recognised as major public health concerns due to their disabling nature:

• Migraine: recurrent attacks lasting 4–72 hours, often with nausea, vomiting and sensitivity to light and sound.

• Tension-type headache: pressure or tightness around the head, often linked with stress or neck strain.

• Cluster headache: extremely severe pain around one eye, occurring several times a day with tearing and nasal symptoms.

• Medication-overuse headache: caused by frequent use of pain medicines, leading to persistent daily headaches.

Treatment and management

• Effective management requires better training for healthcare providers to accurately diagnose and distinguish headache types.

• Cost-effective treatments include analgesics, anti-emetics, specific anti-migraine medicines and preventive drugs.

• Lifestyle measures—regular sleep, hydration, exercise, a healthy diet, avoiding triggers such as alcohol, and using a headache calendar—are essential.

• Educating patients on medication overuse helps prevent chronic symptoms.

Source: World Health Organisation