Assessment of Headache Characteristics and Management in Türkiye

This original article presents a comprehensive assessment of headache characteristics, management, and the burden of migraine compared to tension-type headache (TTH) in Türkiye. The study involved a cross-sectional survey of 1368 adult patients, focusing on sociodemographics, headache characteristics, clinical management, disease burden, quality of life, and healthcare resource utilization over the past 12 months. The analysis included data from 1053 patients diagnosed with definite migraine (dMIG) or definite TTH (dTTH). Results indicated that patients with dMIG experienced more frequent and severe headache attacks than those with dTTH. Despite the higher burden, only a minority of migraine patients were on preventive treatment. The study highlights the significant impact of migraine on quality of life and economic loss, emphasizing the need for timely diagnosis and optimal management. Educational initiatives for both patients and healthcare providers are suggested to improve outcomes. The findings underscore the importance of understanding headache disorders in the context of healthcare resource utilization.