The diagnosis and treatment of migraine: a clinician's view.
The introduction of the International Headache Society (IHS) diagnostic criteria has made migraine a 'positive' diagnosis, not one of exclusion. Studies in Canada have shown that many sufferers do not consult their physician about their migraine, and that the use of over-the-counter and prescription analgesics is common. Treatment should comprise a physician-patient partnership based on a correct and accepted diagnosis, in which both participate in a programme of education about the condition, identification and reduction of migraine triggers, and appropriate use of non-pharmacological, prophylactic and acute pharmacological treatments. The pathogenesis of chronic daily headache is uncertain, but it is frequently associated with habitual overuse of simple analgesics and ergotamines.
Department of Neurology, University of Toronto, Ont., Canada.
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Edmeads
D000700:Analgesics / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D006801:Humans; D008881:Migraine Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D012648:Self Care
D000700:Analgesics