(Madrid. Lucila Rodr\u00edguez)<\/p>\n
Twelve percent of the Spanish population suffers from migraine, a common neurological disorder that is considered by the World Health Organization (WHO) to be one of the most disabling diseases in the world<\/strong>, even resembling blindness or quadriplegia, despite the fact that it is underdiagnosed.<\/p>\n The disease usually presents with headaches, generally unilateral, throbbing and of moderate or severe intensity, lasting from hours to days and often accompanied by nausea, vomiting and\/or excessive sensitivity to light and sound.<\/strong> Women between 20 and 50 years of age are the most affected (80% of all patients) due, among other things, to hormonal changes. <\/p>\n “It is a disease with an important personal and social impact as it affects people in the midst of their professional and family development<\/strong>,” explained Elena Riva Amarante, a doctor from the Neurology Department of the Ruber International Hospital, on the occasion of the celebration of the International Day of Action against Migraine.<\/p>\n However, despite its high incidence in society, the lack of awareness of this pathology means that it is currently taking more than 6 years to diagnose it<\/strong>, as many people consider that it is not a reason for medical consultation and others hide it for fear of losing their job or their social relationships.<\/p>\n This lack of knowledge of the disease delays, in addition to the diagnosis (which is usually clinical), the treatment. ” At the present time we do not have a treatment that cures the disease, but we can improve the quality of life of people who suffer from it, reducing the frequency, intensity and duration of pain crises,”<\/strong> argued Dr. Riva Amarante.<\/p>\n Specifically, the therapy is based on three pillars. The first consists of improving lifestyle habits through sports, diet, stress management and regular sleep and eating schedules. The second is based on symptomatic treatment to control symptoms, based on analgesics or NSAIDs; and the third is based on preventive therapies to reduce the intensity and frequency of headache episodes. <\/strong><\/p>\n “Preventive therapies are usually indicated for people with three or more episodes per month, or for those who have fewer episodes but suffer very intense pain crises. We have oral drugs, botulinum toxin and monoclonal antibodies,” explained the doctor from the Neurology Department of the Ruber Internacional Hospital.<\/p>\nThe three pillars of migraine therapy<\/h6>\n