Tele-healthcare in migraine medicine: from diagnosis to monitoring treatment outcomes

ABSTRACT

Introduction

Primary headaches represent a huge cost in terms of decreased productivity and migraine occupies the first position among disabilities in working population. Migraine has a high incidence, disproportionate to the available primary care centers. In most cases, migraine can be managed through the simple and accurate collection of clinical history, which makes it an ideal candidate for tele-healthcare.

Areas covered

In this narrative review, we retrace the most important scientific evidence regarding use of tele-healthcare in headache medicine. Over the last few years, it has proved to be a valid and useful tool for the management of migraine. Furthermore, current pandemic has imposed a drastic change in the way of thinking and setting up medicine, forcing clinicians and patients to a huge expansion of telemedicine.

Expert opinion

We should permanently insert the culture of telemedicine in the headache care not only in academies and scientific societies, but extend it to specialized hospitals for the treatment of headaches. Only by broadening the old book-based strategy, we will be able to open the door to the multidimensional culture of headache medicine. Experts of excellence centers should set an example and pave the way for the rest of the clinicians.

KEYWORDS:

• Telemedicine
• chronic headache
• migraine
• tele-healthcare
• COVID-19

Article highlights

• Migraine is the most common neurological disease, and its management can largely be done by the analysis of medical history.

• Telemedicine consists in the supply of remote health services using technological communication devices, typically audio and video.

• Over the last few years, telemedicine has proven to be a valid and useful tool for the management of chronic headaches.

• Current pandemic has imposed a drastic change in the way of thinking and setting up medicine, forcing clinicians and patients to a huge expansion of telemedicine.

• We should consider that in the next years the culture of telemedicine will be embedded in the treatment of headaches.

Acknowledgments

The authors want to thank Marco Bentivegna for English Language editing and review. No compensation was received for his role.

Declaration of interest

The authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.

Reviewer disclosures

Peer reviewers on this manuscript have no relevant financial or other relationships to disclose.

Additional information

Funding

This paper was not funded.