By Joene Hendry
NEW YORK, Jul 03 (Reuters Health) - The number of Americans who experience
migraine headaches increased over the last 10 years, researchers report. But
over half of those who experience these disabling headaches have not seen a
doctor about them.
Migraine prevalence rose from 12.1% to 12.6% in the last ten years and, when
combined with population growth, accounts for 28 million more migraineurs,
according to data presented at the recent American Headache Society meeting in
Montreal, Canada.
One out of four US households includes a person who gets migraines, reported
Dr. Richard B. Lipton of the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York. He
presented the 10-year update data from 30,000 US households participating in the
American Migraine Study II.
In both the 1989 and 1999 studies, the researchers found that "migraine is
remarkably prevalent and is surprisingly disabling," Lipton told Reuters Health
in an interview.
The1999 study shows that, "roughly 6% of men and 18% of women have
migraines," Lipton reported. Eighty percent of the respondents reported that
their migraines were sometimes severe or extremely severe and 24% had sought
emergency room care for a migraine attack.
Just over 40% of migraineurs reported using prescription drugs, up from 37%
in 1989. Lipton advised patients, "if over-the-counter medications work, fine,
if not seek help."
Yet, only 48% of those with clinically defined migraines report being
diagnosed by a physician, even though 41% of this group say that a migraine
causes them disability severe enough to require bed rest.
"This study is a report card on how the nation is treating migraine," Lipton
said. "Those going to a doctor are getting better treatment, but not enough
severely disabled are seeking treatment...the undiagnosed group who report
severe disability should be seeking help."
"In 1989 we found that migraine was under-diagnosed and under-treated," Lipton
said. "Many did not seek help (then) because they did not believe any treatment
(existed)."
"Now, even though treatment is improved, the word hasn't gotten out," he
added.
Lipton expressed his disappointment with the findings, saying, "we've made
much less progress (in dealing with migraines) than I had hoped."
