Migraine Headache: Diagnosis and Current and Emerging Preventive Treatments

Migraine is associated with considerable pain and disability. Accurate diagnosis that differentiates migraine from other primary and secondary headache disorders is needed, and clinicians should assess the patient’s risk of progressing to chronic migraine. Many patients will benefit from preventive treatment. Clinicians must know how to identify these patients and be familiar with the numerous preventive treatments. Finally, clinicians must select the safest, most effective treatment while keeping in mind individual characteristics such as coexisting conditions and patient preferences.