Migraine sufferers warned on excessive use of painkillers

FOR UP to 250,000 people in Ireland the cure for a migraine can become its cause, a seminar on migraine heard yesterday.

Audrey Craven, president of the European Headache Alliance, said most people are unaware that by taking more frequent and larger doses of analgesics to tackle migraines, they actually worsen their situation.

Ms Craven was speaking at the launch of European Migraine Action Day at Trinity College Dublin.

It is estimated that up to 4 per cent of the population of Northern Ireland and the Republic suffer from Medication Overuse Headache (MOH), she said.

The theme of this year’s event, launched for the first time in Ireland, was “When the Cure becomes the Cause”.

Speakers included Dr Ronan Walsh, consultant neurologist at Beaumont Hospital, who said migraine is the single most prevalent neurological disorder in Ireland.

“Migraine is responsible for the loss of at least half a million working days in Ireland,” Dr Walsh said.

The disorder costs the Irish economy €225 million a year, he added. Overuse of painkilling medicine caused rebound headaches, Dr Walsh said.

Research into the issue had found that one in 20 migraine sufferers takes more than 60 analgesic tablets a month.

He said analgesics containing codeine had a high potential to give suffers a “rebound headache”, and those containing caffeine increased the risk.

Dr Walsh said there was also a need for increased funding for migraine services and clinics and for ongoing research.

“Effectively managing migraine will reduce the cost for Irish society,” he said.