Migraine, Evaluation, and Management in Primary Health Care

Background: Headache is a common complaint as it is experienced by most of the general population at some stage in their lives. It accounts for 10% of the consultations of general practitioners and one-third of the referrals to neurology. One of the commonest headache disorders is migraine. Migraine can have a significant effect on the quality of life of a migraine patient. Therefore, appropriate evaluation and management are important to control such condition. Objective: To review the published literature that discussed migraine, its symptomology, evaluation, and management. Methods: PubMed database was used for articles selection, and the following keys were used in the mesh (("migraine"[Mesh]) AND ("management"[Mesh]) OR ("evaluation"[Mesh])). Conclusion: The patient should be well educated and informed thoroughly about the condition when the diagnosis of migraine is established. Managing migraines by complete avoidance of the triggers cannot guarantee the stoppage of the attacks. However, it is recommended to stick to a daily routine of good habits in order to minimize the possibility of aggravated migraine. The first-line option of treatment in acute migraine patients is OTC analgesics. Nevertheless, in cases of chronic migraine, frequent attacks, or acute medications intolerance or unresponsiveness, preventive therapy should be considered. Effective migraine preventive medications include beta-blockers, tricyclic antidepressants, anticonvulsants, and calcium channel blockers.