It is widely accepted that family factors may play a significant role in the etiology, perpetuation and treatment of chronic pain. Furthermore, it requires little imagination to appreciate that a debilitating headache with frequent episodes lasting between 4 and 72 hours has a significant impact on the relationship between the patient, their partner, children, other family members and close social contacts. Many individuals with migraine are apprehensive about their next attack, knowing that such an attack could disrupt their ability to work, care for their families, or meet social obligations. The need for and cost of, alternative arrangements for family, work and social obligations varies markedly, but can significantly contribute to the overall cost of migraine management. Migraines cause a substantial economic and societal burden.
Migraine sufferers are high utilizers of health care.
In addition, migraine patients generated almost four times the number of emergency department claims compared to the control patients. However, these patients in the managed care study appear to represent a relatively small number of sufferers. 8 Adequate pharmacotherapy, frequently with the newer serotonin receptor agonists, may reduce or eliminate emergency department use. In addition, unnecessary use of neuroradiology, such as head computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging to rule out an organic cause of the headaches, also contribute to the cost of care. Days lost from work represent a societal and indirect economic loss from migraines.