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Newswise — (MIAMI, FL) -- Migraine is much more than just a headache. It is a debilitating disease that can drastically impact the lives of those affected, limiting their ability to work, study, travel, spend time with family, and enjoy everyday moments. The constant fear of the next attack, the pain that forces individuals to forgo commitments and plans, and the frustration of feeling trapped in a condition invisible to others are all too familiar to those living with migraine.

Thanks to advancements in preventive therapies, such as calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) pathway inhibitors and other innovative therapies, it is now possible to move beyond simply reducing the frequency of attacks and instead aim for the complete resolution of the disease’s manifestations.

In a new  published in Cephalalgia, the official journal of the International Headache Society (IHS), the organization calls on the scientific and clinical communities to reconsider the goals of migraine prevention. Rather than focus solely on percentage reductions in migraine days, the emphasis should be on improving patients' quality of life and enabling them to live fully and free from the constant burden of the disease.

"This position statement is to set new standards for migraine prevention, so that we can more deliberately minimize migraine days while also addressing the associated disability, impact on quality of life, and overall disease burden," says Teshamae Monteith, M.D., co-author of the statement and professor of clinical neurology at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine.

The document introduces a new framework for assessing migraine control, structured into four levels:

1. Migraine freedom – No days with migraine or moderate-to-severe headache.
2. Optimal control – Fewer than 4 days per month with migraine or moderate-to-severe headache.
3. Modest control – Between 4 and 6 days per month with migraine or moderate-to-severe headache.
4. Insufficient control – More than 6 days per month with migraine or moderate-to-severe headache.

"More must be done to reduce the residual burden for those living with migraine and to improve outcomes in an equitable manner,” said Dr. Monteith. Achieving this will require a shift in clinical care that integrates newer therapeutic options and personalized medicine.  Migraine care is at a tipping point, but this also necessitates a call for more research funding to search for newer migraine targets."

The IHS emphasizes that this approach is not intended to alter drug approval criteria or reimbursement policies. Instead, it aims to inspire clinicians, researchers, and policymakers to strive for higher standards in migraine management, with the potential for a positive impact on public health and the socio-economic burden of the disease.

This document marks a turning point in how migraine is approached, advocating for a mindset shift. People with migraine deserve more than just feeling slightly better—they deserve to live well, free from the constant worry of the next attack.