Migraine – Principles and Treatment of a Widespread Disease

Abstract

Headaches are amongst the most common reasons for visiting a general practitioner in Switzerland. The key features in differentiating migraine from other types of headache are the pulsating pain, interfering with daily activities, and the hypersensitivity to stimuli such as light or sound. Around 15 % of the patients report a preceeding aura, consisting of transient neurological symptoms. An effective migraine management is based on non-pharmacological treatment as well as acute and preventive medication. Non-pharmacological options include the management of the trigger factors stress, sleep deprivation, musculoskeletal tension. Acute treatment should be stratified and include non-opioid analgesics for milder attacks, triptans or combinations for more severe attacks. The spectrum of preventive medication is broad. Therefore it is essential to find a suitable and well tolerable drug for the individual patient.