Canadian Headache Society

Migraine: A common headache disorder that is underdiagnosed and undertreated

Retrieved on: 
星期二, 八月 1, 2023
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However, even in Canada, with a universal health-care system, migraine is underdiagnosed and undertreated.

Key Points: 
  • However, even in Canada, with a universal health-care system, migraine is underdiagnosed and undertreated.
  • Policymakers need to act now to remove the barriers to accessing migraine medications in Canada, particularly as new medications are marketed.

What is migraine?

    • Pain typically affects one side of the head and presents with nausea or vomiting, sensitivity to light or sound and interference with routine physical activity.
    • Migraine can be episodic (fewer than 15 headache days per month) or chronic (15 or more headache days per month for longer than three months).

Impact of migraine

    • Migraine is associated with lost productivity and with other health conditions including asthma, epilepsy and cardiovascular disease.
    • Furthermore, migraine can contribute to mental health problems, including depression and anxiety.
    • Canada is no stranger to this trend, where migraine affects 4.7 per cent of men and 11.8 per cent of women each year.

Historically, migraine has been underdiagnosed

    • Factors influencing diagnosis include an individual’s ability and willingness to access care, and a physician identifying and correctly diagnosing migraine.
    • However, research has demonstrated that for chronic migraine, most individuals report consulting a physician about their headaches.
    • This suggests that in people with chronic migraine specifically, underdiagnosis may be driven by the failure to receive a correct diagnosis from a health-care provider.

Migraine-specific medications are under-used

    • Triptans are among the oldest migraine-specific medications, and the first-line treatment for migraine for those who do not get relief from over-the-counter medications.
    • Despite this, many individuals living with migraine in Canada do not use or have not tried migraine-specific medications.
    • As new migraine-specific medications are approved in Canada, it is important that those who need them can access these treatments.
    • These medications are used to prevent migrainous headaches, and cost over $600 per month.

Steps you can take if you think you might have migraine

    • Migraine Buddy is a migraine tracking app with a questionnaire to help individuals determine if they may have migraine and should discuss their symptoms with a physician.
    • Effective treatment options exist to manage migraine, which can be accessed through a physician.

Fujitsu Honored by the International Headache Society

Retrieved on: 
星期三, 三月 2, 2022
Education, WHO, Family, Patient, Canadian Headache Society, Pain scale, World, Quality of life, Organization, Migraine, International Headache Society, ICT, Awareness, Solution, Headache, Workplace, US, Patient advocacy, Disease, Mental health, Pain, QOL, Health, Neurology, World Health Organization, Accreditation, Management, Health insurance, Fujitsu

In June 2018, Fujitsu conducted an in-house survey among Fujitsu employees in cooperation with International Headache Society, the World Health Organization (WHO), and the Japan Headache Society.

Key Points: 
  • In June 2018, Fujitsu conducted an in-house survey among Fujitsu employees in cooperation with International Headache Society, the World Health Organization (WHO), and the Japan Headache Society.
  • Based on the results of a joint study conducted in 2018 (Fujitsu employee survey on the degree of impact of chronic headache disorders on work), Fujitsu in fiscal year 2019 developed the FUJITSU Headache Project in cooperation with IHS-GPAC and the Japanese Headache Society.
  • Utilizing e-Learning programs to help Fujitsu Group employees in Japan acquire correct knowledge about headache disorders, Fujitsu held video seminars for headache patients, online headache consultations with specialists, and headache exercises.
  • Based on the results of the various initiatives of the "FUJITSU Headache Project," Fujitsu, the IHS-GPAC, WHO, and the Japanese Headache Society will analyze and verify the impact of the Fujitsu Headache Project on the improved awareness and understanding of headache disorders among all employees, as well as changes in the burden and work productivity of employees with chronic headache disorders.