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19 February 2019
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Migraine Guide Launched

Irish College of General Practitioners encourages migraine sufferers to talk to their doctors to help prevent recurrence

The Migraine Quick Reference Guide is published today (February 19th) by the Irish College of General Practitioners and will be available publicly on the website www.icgp.ie

"Migraine can cause very significant disability. After back pain, it is the second most common cause of disability in women aged between 15-49 years. This can be the most demanding time of women's lives, both personally and professionally," said Dr Mary Kearney, GP and co-author of the guide.

"There is hope for migraine sufferers and new treatments are becoming available," Dr Kearney added. "We hope this guide will help give doctors a greater understanding of migraine, and improved tools in the assessment of headaches which will help them identify cause of headache. and a stepwise approach to the preventative treatment available".

"Because headache is so common (90% of the population), people can often misunderstand that there are very serious forms of migraine."

The Irish College of General Practitioners' guide highlights

  • Important symptoms in the assessment of any headache
  • Acute treatment of migraine
  • How keeping a diary of your headaches and good partnership with your GP are imperative to reduce migraine attacks
  • When to start preventative treatment, and recommended dosages for medication.

Deputy Maria Bailey TD, who is a migraine sufferer, said: "'Migraine whilst not curable can be managed successfully. Diaries are a crucial component to understanding your triggers, lifestyle and type of migraine. With the right combination of treatment, and tailored lifestyle for a specific patient it can ease the debilitating effects of migraine for some, there are many options of treatments available and it can take time to find what works best for you.'

The Migraine Quick Reference Guide is available online HERE 

MEDIA QUERIES: Aileen O'Meara, Communications Consultant, ICGP

Tel. 01 2542984 / 087 2239830 Email media@icgp.ie