The majority of patients reported severe disability, and the need for bed rest due to an inability to control pain and symptoms. The study found that almost half of those whose migraines were diagnosed by a physician still suffer to a similar degree as those whose migraines are undiagnosed showing that effective control of migraine depends not only on diagnosis, but on the treatment received after diagnosis.
The National Headache Foundation (NHF), in response to these results, convened a meeting of professional and consumer medical organizations. The groups are now calling for a renewed commitment to the diagnosis and treatment of migraine from healthcare professionals and increased patient education.
NHF executive director Suzanne Simons said, "We hope this call to action and coming together of healthcare professionals from a wide range of disciplines will help us close the gap between the effective treatments available and the millions who continue to suffer from migraine."
Key findings of the research include:
- Total U.S. prevalence of migraine was virtually the same in 1999 as in 1989 (12.6% vs. 12.1%). In 1989, 24 million suffered from migraine headaches while currently 28 million suffer. This increase corresponds with the growth in population.
- Only 48% of participants who met the clinical definition of migraine report ever having had their condition diagnosed by a physician.
- 80% of said their migraines were severe or extremely severe, and 24% had sought emergency room treatment.
- Despite significant advances in prescription medications designed specifically for the treatment of migraines, 57% still use only over-the-counter medications for treatment which is almost the same percentage as 10 years ago when 59% reported using only OTC medications.
- Although the sufferers with a physician diagnosis tend to have
more severe migraines and report more symptoms than the
undiagnosed, a high level of suffering is reported by both
groups:
- Throbbing pain
85% Diagnosed
85% Undiagnosed - Sensitivity to light
89% Diagnosed
72% Undiagnosed - Pain on one side of head
64% Diagnosed
55% Undiagnosed - Nausea
80% Diagnosed
66% Undiagnosed
Richard B. Lipton, M.D., Professor of Neurology, Epidemiology and Social Medicine at Albert Einstein College of Medicine said, "In the past, narcotic medications were widely used for migraine. Narcotics relieve pain, but often produce disabling sedation. the new generation of medicines, known as triptans, relieve pain and restore people's ability to function, allowing people to get back to their lives."
"People with migraine headaches must see their doctors regularly. If they've dropped out of the healthcare system and thought there was nothing that could be done for their headaches, they need to go back. People need to become more productive and champion for their own health." Suzanne Simons
In another study conducted by the National Headache Foundation and sponsored by Glaxo Wellcome, the life-impact issues surrounding migraine were studied. The results, released in June 1999, revealed that when migraine sufferers received effective treatment their work, family, and social lives improved significantly. The study also found that migraine patients who use prescription medication designed specifically for migraines, particularly triptans, reported a high level of satisfaction with their overall treatment program.
How the survey was conducted:
The mail survey used the National Family Opinion (NFO) household panel which is construed to match national demography in terms of household income, ethnicity, family size, and other factors. A 20-item symptom series of questions about their diagnosis and treatment history, and the impact migraine headaches have had on their lives was mailed to 20,000 households. The response rate was 69.3% and included data for 29,258 individuals age 12 and older. The survey identified 6,211 severe headache sufferers and 3,738 had migraine as defined by established International Headache Society (IHS) criteria. - Throbbing pain
