"Doesn't everyone get headaches? A painkiller sorts it out." We hear this often in clinic.
Taking a painkiller for an occasional headache is of course not a problem. The problem is on 10 or more days a month for over three months taking a painkiller. From that point the painkiller itself creates headache — Medication-overuse headache— a vicious cycle you can fall into.
Frequent headaches lead to medication; as it wears off the headache returns, so more is taken. Breaking this cycle requires diagnosing the cause of the headache precisely and Preventive treatmentis needed.
For migraine in particular, the treatment strategy has changed completely. Anti-CGRP targeted therapyreduces the occurrence of migraine itself with a once-monthly injection, and is showing good results even in those for whom conventional preventive medication did not work.
Record how many days a month you have a headache and how often you take a painkiller. Those two numbers are the most important diagnostic clue in the consultation room.
— Director, Centum Neurology Clinic