Supplemental Content: Living Well with Migraine Disease and Headaches

Keep up with Migraine & headache news, tips, tools, and more... View our blog!


 

Stopping Medication Overuse Stops Transformed Migraine

   

Data from a study released this month in Headache: The Journal of Head and Face Pain, confirms once again a major point we've discussed about transformed Migraine. When medications that are being overused and leading to medication overuse headaches are discontinued, there is significant improvement in headache frequency and transformed Migraine reverts back to episodic Migraine without chronic daily headache.

Study objective

To identify the factors contributing to the reversion of transformed Migraine (TM) into episodic Migraine.
 

Study method

  • 145 of 1,142 consecutive headache patients seen at the Headache Clinic of the Samsung Medical Center met the criteria for diagnosis of transformed Migraine, and their progress was followed for at least one year.
  • At initial assessment, data was collected on
    • headache profile based on International Headache Society diagnostic criteria
    • medical history including information regarding medication overuse, chronic use of analgesics for other conditions, coexisting chronic illnesses, caffeine consumption in excess of 100mg daily, alcohol consumption, smoking, family medical history
    • lifestyle details including exercise
  • Management protocol:
    • abrupt discontinuation of overused medications
    • compliance with preventive regimen
    • lifestyle modifications including regular exercise, elimination of caffeine and alcohol, smoking cessation
       

Study results

  • 136 of the initial 145 patients finished the the study through final follow-up assessment 1 year after the initial evaluation.
  • Five patients were lost to follow-up and 4 patients refused the follow-up interview.
  • Of the 136 patients:
    • 122 were women.
    • In 95 (70%) patients, their transformed Migraines converted to episodic Migraine
    • 41 (30%) continued to suffer daily headaches without a period of improvement
    • 10 did not discontinue overused drugs. None of them improved to episodic Migraine
  • The 2 major reasons for poor compliance with preventive medication regimens were side effects and
    low efficacy
  • Significant positive factors in reversion of transformed Migraine to episodic:
    • Good compliance with preventive regimen
    • withdrawal from continuous use of analgesics for headache relief (medication overuse)
    • regular exercise

    •  

Study conclusion

Compliance factors are the most important factors that determine the reversion of transformed Migraine into episodic Migraine.
 

Summary

Transformed Migraine is Migraine disease which began manifesting in episodic Migraine attacks, increasing in frequency and changing characteristics, and resulting in almost daily less severe headaches punctuated by severe and debilitating Migraine attacks. Overuse of pain relievers has long been noted as a major contributing factor to transformed Migraine. This study confirms that ending medication overuse is necessary if transformed Migraine is to lose its characteristics of chronic daily headache and return to episodic Migraine. Episodic Migraine can then be managed with effective preventive medications and abortive medications as necessary.
 

__________
Resources

Seok, Jung Im, Cho, Hyung In & Chung, Chin-Sang (2006). From Transformed Migraine to Episodic Migraine: Reversion Factors. Headache: The Journal of Head and Face Pain 46 (7), 1186-1190. doi: 10.1111/j.1526-4610.2006.00509.x
 


© Teri Robert, August 1, 2006

 

 
Living Well With Migraine Disease & Headaches is available in bookstores and shipping from online booksellers now. For a description on the book or an Amazon link, click HERE. To read an excerpt from my book or other content, check our Supplemental Content Section.

 

Remember:

Optimal health care can be achieved
only when patients are educated
about their health and patients and
physicians work together as
treatment partners in an
atmosphere of mutual respect.


Must-Reads:


 

 
Tell a friend about this article:
 
NOTE: The information on this site is for education and support only. It is not medical advice and should not be construed as such. Always consult your physician if you have new or different symptoms. Never change your treatment regimen or add herbals, supplements, etc., without consulting your doctor.

 
Get the latest Migraine and headache news, informational articles, tips for living well and more in our free weekly email newsletter.

   
To subscribe, just visit our newsletter subscription page.
 

 

This website is certified by Health On the Net Foundation. Click to verify.This site complies with the HONcode standard for trustworthy health information: verify here.
    

Search only trustworthy HONcode health websites:

NOTE: The information on this site is for education and support only. It is not medical advice and should not be construed as such. Always consult your physician if you have new or different symptoms. Never change your treatment regimen or add herbals, supplements, etc., without consulting your doctor.

All content on this site is physician reviewed by Dr. John Claude Krusz.

Our Mission & Purpose  •   About the Information on This Site  •   Our Privacy Policy  •   Site Funding and Advertising  •   Contact

All content ©  2004 - 2010 Teri Robert unless otherwise indicated. • Last updated Monday, December 06, 2010.

Page copy protected against web site content infringement by Copyscape

 
     
 

Looking for awareness items? Your search is over...

"Headaches Do Not Have Me" Mug

from Cafe Press

"Take Charge" Sigg Water Bottle

from Cafe Press

"Knowledge Is Power"
Tile Box

from Cafe Press

"Migraine Is a Disease"

from Cafe Press

 

You can find these and other items in our Awareness Shop!

advertisement                                                      advertisement                                                      advertisement

Positivly the best value in the world for natural products
 
 
drugstore.com, inc.

 
Google
  Web www.helpforheadaches.com