Migraine headache is a common and often undertreated condition in the Asia-Pacific region.
Migraine is a recurrent, often debilitating headache disorder that causes significant impairment to the patient’s quality of life.1 The International Headache Society (IHS) has classified migraine into six subtypes2:
1. migraine without aura
2. migraine with aura
3. childhood periodic syndromes that are
4. commonly precursors of migraine
5. retinal migraine
6. complications of migraine
7. probable migraine
Each of these subtypes is characterized by specific features and associated symptoms. These recommendations focus on the first two subtypes: migraine with and without aura. The
main difference between these two subtypes is the presence of focal neurological symptoms in
migraine with aura.2 These symptoms generally precede or accompany the headache.
The prevalence of migraine in females (12%–17%) is about twice that in males (6%–8%); while migraine attacks may commence at any age, the highest incidence is between 35 and 45 years.1,3-6 In some studies,
the lifetime prevalence in females has been estimated to be as high as 24%. Epidemiological studies have estimated the median frequency of migraine attacks to be 1–1.5 a month.1,3 A survey in Hong Kong in 1998 revealed that the estimated prevalence of migraine is 12.5%, similar to that reported in Western populations, with a greater preponderance in females. More patients have migraine without aura than migraine with
aura. Migraine sufferers often have lower health-related quality of life than non-migraineurs. The impact of
migraine extends beyond the patient’s personal life, affecting work, family and social activities.9 In the United States, costs attributed to migraine amount to US $13 million annually due to missed workdays and impaired work function. A number of clinical and community-based studies have demonstrated that patients with migraine are also likely to suffer from certain comorbid psychiatric disorders, such as depression, generalized anxiety.
Reference source: http://www.neuropainhk.org, www.brain-spine.com.hk
The above information is for educations only, if you have any related disease, plese consult your neurosurgeon for more information.
