The international study, led by neurology experts from La Trobe University and Western Health, found the COVID-19 pandemic introduced additional challenges for headache management, with acute or chronic headaches after SARS-CoV-2 infection or vaccination adding to the global burden.
Published in Cell Reports Medicine, it found more healthcare funding and recognition of migraines and headaches is needed to support the 2.8 billion people who suffer from the debilitating conditions worldwide.
The research comes as thousands of people gathered in Melbourne’s Treasury Gardens on Sunday for the Step4Migraine Walk, an annual event aimed at boosting migraine awareness and accessibility.
Researchers analysed the latest data from the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries and Risk Factors Study (GBD) to update global estimates of prevalence and years lived with disability (YLDs) of headache disorders from 1990 to 2021 across 204 countries and territories.
It found women aged 30-44 and people from counties with higher income and healthcare quality are disproportionately affected by headache disorders, and while migraines are less common, they are far more disabling.
Some patients with migraines co-infected with SARS-CoV-2 also reported experiencing more severe pain that is often less responsive to standard analgesics.
“These new headache issues, combined with increased psychological stress, disrupted healthcare access and social factors, may have further complicated an already pressing public health issue,” the study found.
Lead researcher Professor Tissa Wijeratne, from La Trobe University and Western Health in Melbourne, said while advances in diagnostic tools and treatment options have improved the recognition and management of headache disorders, rates are expected to remain at the same level due to the enduring influence of modern risk factors.
Furthermore, the limited use of professional healthcare for headaches and the reliance on over-the-counter treatments may continue to impede substantial reductions in prevalence and disability.
Professor Wijeratne said tailored interventions and resources could reduce the burden of the disorders over the coming decades.
“This study emphasises the urgent need to prioritise headache disorders in global health agendas,” the report says.
Migraine sufferer Rosamaria Caligiuri has tried a variety of treatments over a decade to help her manage her symptoms.
“I get severe pain, nausea, I don’t want to be around anyone, I can’t do anything. I have to lie down. I just can’t function,” she says.”
When the migraines were at their worst, Rosamaria was getting one each day and often had to leave work to deal with it.
The mother of three recently started medication for high-blood pressure, which has helped hide the pain, but she still experiences associated symptoms such as nausea and dizziness – which she says are easy compared to the ache in her head.
The full study can be found here: Global, regional, and national burden of headache disorders, 1990–2021, with forecasts to 2050: A Global Burden of Disease study 2021
Professor Tissa represented Australia at the World Congress of Neurology in October, where the WHO Global Status Report on Neurology was released.
DOI: 10.1016/j.xcrm.2025.102348
Video: https://youtu.be/JXPiM-MVGgg
