At Haven Headache & Migraine Center, our mission is simple: help people with migraine achieve more good days.

That mission depends on listening closely to patients and advancing research that reflects their real experiences. We are proud to share that our Clinical Director, Dr. Susan Hutchinson, MD, served as lead author on a major national study published in Headache: The Journal of Head and Face Pain examining unmet treatment needs in migraine care.

This research reinforces something we see every day in clinic: too many people with migraine are still not receiving the care they need.

Migraine Is Common. Effective Treatment Is Not.

Migraine affects nearly 1 in 6 Americans and is one of the leading causes of disability worldwide.

Yet despite advances in treatment, most people with migraine are not receiving optimal care.

Dr. Hutchinson’s study analyzed data from more than 59,000 people with migraine across the United States. The findings were striking:

• 77.1% were candidates for starting or changing prescription migraine treatment
• 74.2% had unmet needs for acute treatment, meaning their medications were not working well enough
• 37.7% had unmet needs for preventive treatment, even though preventive therapy can reduce attack frequency and disability
• Many experienced severe impact between attacks, including reduced quality of life, stigma, and functional limitations

These numbers represent millions of people living with migraine who could benefit from better treatment strategies.

Migraine Burden Extends Beyond the Attack Itself

Migraine is not just about pain during attacks.

The study found that many patients experienced significant burden even between attacks, including:

• Reduced ability to function at work and in daily life
• Sleep disruption and mood impact
• High levels of migraine-related stigma
• Frequent use of emergency or urgent care services

This interictal burden — the impact between attacks — is often overlooked. Yet it strongly predicts the need for treatment optimization.

This insight reflects what we see at Haven every day: migraine is a continuous neurological condition, not an occasional inconvenience.

Why Preventive Treatment Remains Underused

Preventive treatments reduce attack frequency, improve quality of life, and lower healthcare costs.

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Yet the study found that:

• Only about one-quarter of patients who needed preventive treatment were receiving it
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• Many patients relied heavily on acute medications instead of addressing the underlying disease
• Medication overuse was common among those with unmet preventive needs

This pattern often leads to worsening migraine over time.

Preventive care changes that trajectory.

The Importance of Specialist Care

One of the strongest predictors of appropriate treatment was seeing a specialist.

Patients who worked with migraine specialists were more likely to receive optimized care and appropriate preventive therapy.

This reflects a simple truth: migraine is a neurological disease that requires specialized care.

General medical care alone often is not enough.

What This Means for Patients

This research highlights a critical opportunity to improve migraine outcomes.

If you experience migraine, you may benefit from treatment optimization if:

• Your medications do not fully control attacks
• You have frequent migraine attacks
• Migraine affects your work, sleep, or quality of life
• You rely heavily on acute medications
• You have never seen a migraine specialist

Better treatment is possible.

And in many cases, life-changing.

Research and Care, Working Together

Dr. Susan Hutchinson’s leadership in this national study reflects Haven’s commitment to advancing migraine care through both clinical excellence and research.

We are proud to bring that expertise directly to our patients.

At Haven, our care model focuses on:

• Accurate diagnosis
• Personalized preventive treatment
• Evidence-based acute therapy
• Continuous monitoring and optimization

Our goal is simple: fewer migraine attacks, less disability, and more good days.

Take the Next Step

If migraine is limiting your life, you do not have to manage it alone.

Specialized care can make a meaningful difference.

Book a consultation with Haven Headache & Migraine Center to explore your treatment options:

https://www.havenheadache.com/booking/join

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