Keywords: Medication-overuse headache, MOH, chronic migraine, migraine, headache, and orofacial pain.
Do you have a long history of headaches? Are you tired of treatments that do not work? If you have experienced years of chronic headache and have used many different types of medications without success, you might be suffering from medication-overuse headache (MOH). According to the research center at the Akershus University Hospital in Lorenskog, Norway, MOH is a worldwide health problem with a prevalence of 1%-2%. Withdrawal of the overused medication is the preferred choice of treatment and should be performed only by a qualified specialist in this specific field. At AZTMJ, Dr. Stan Farrell, is one of the best-qualified doctors in the country for treating head pain. His state-of-the-art treatments are proven to alleviate pain over the long term without the dangers of addiction to prescribed medications. Dr. Stan Farrell focuses on treatment of headaches as well as the hard to detect conditions. If you or someone you know struggles with chronic headache and have tried just about everything to alleviate the pain, please call Dr. Stan Farrell at 480-945-3629 today to schedule an initial consultation. You can also visit us online at www.headpaininstitute.com for more information.
Kristoffersen ES1, Lundqvist C2 1Research Centre, Akershus University Hospital, Lørenskog, Norway ; Department of Neurology, Akershus University Hospital, Nordbyhagen, Norway ; Department of General Practice, Institute of Health and Society, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.
Abstract:
Medication-overuse headache (MOH) is a worldwide health problem with a prevalence of 1%-2%. It is a severe form of headache where the patients often have a long history of headache and of unsuccessful treatments. MOH is characterized by chronic headache and overuse of different headache medications. Through the years, withdrawal of the overused medication has been recognized as the treatment of choice. However, currently, there is no clear consensus regarding the optimal strategy for management of MOH. Treatment approaches are based on expert opinion rather than scientific evidence. This review focuses on aspects of epidemiology, diagnosis, pathogenesis, prevention, and treatment of MOH. We suggest that information and education about the risk of MOH is important since the condition is preventable. Most patients experience reduction of headache days and intensity after successful treatment. The first step in the treatment of MOH should be carried out in primary care and focus primarily on withdrawal, leaving prophylactic medication to those who do not manage primary detoxification. For most patients, a general practitioner can perform the follow-up after detoxification. More complicated cases should be referred to neurologists and headache clinics. Patients suffering with MOH have much to gain by an earlier treatment-focused approach, since the condition is both preventable and treatable.
