We are searching data for your request:
Upon completion, a link will appear to access the found materials.
Can migraines be prevented?
Hundreds of thousands of people suffer unnecessarily from excruciating migraine pain because they think it is a "normal" headache and do not know how to prevent it.
The recent study by the Australian National University (ANU) found that many people are unaware of their own migraines and often think they are normal headaches. This prevents optimal treatment. The results of the study were published in the English language journal "SN Comprehensive Clinical Medicine".
Many people don't recognize their own migraines
Once migraines are diagnosed, the condition can be targeted. Unfortunately, apparently many affected people do not recognize the symptoms of migraines, which means that these people are not looking for the right form of treatment. The researchers believe there is an urgent need for a public health campaign to better educate the population about the treatment and definition of migraines.
Migraines are often overlooked and not diagnosed
Migraines are not just headaches. Rather, it is a very uncomfortable and restrictive disease, which occurs quite often. It is striking that migraines are one of the most frequently undiagnosed or misdiagnosed diseases among neurological diseases, the researchers report. In other words, many people suffer from migraines, but they are not aware that they are affected by the condition. Even if affected people see their family doctor, the disease can easily be overlooked and not diagnosed. The Australian study found that one in five people with migraines had no knowledge of the preventive medications they actually have. The results show that people with migraines often have incomplete or inadequate information about their own condition, the researchers explain. If people were better informed about migraines, they could choose the right treatment for themselves and often avoid the occurrence of the painful illness.
Headaches returned after the duration of action
The study also showed that one in five people suffering from migraines did not know the risks of common pain relievers, which are often used for headaches. In the short term, these drugs can relieve the pain, but there are other risks if the drugs are used excessively, the researchers explain. These drugs can cause so-called rebound headaches, with the pain returning immediately after the drug lasts.
Get medical attention for migraines
If you suffer from migraines, speak to your family doctor and ask for a referral to a neurological practice, the researchers advise. It is not always easy to recognize migraines because there is not a single biological marker that indicates that someone has migraines and people sometimes have completely different symptoms. However, the pain associated with migraines is often only felt on one side of the head, while normal headaches are spread all over the head. Other typical symptoms are visual disturbances, sensitivity to light, nausea or dizziness. (as)
Author and source information
This text corresponds to the specifications of the medical literature, medical guidelines and current studies and has been checked by medical doctors.
- Stephanie C. Goodhew: Migraine Literacy and Treatment in a University Sample, in SN Comprehensive Clinical Medicine (query: 20.09.2019), SN Comprehensive Clinical Medicine