Consulting, diagnosis and treatment patterns in migraine: results from the Migraine in Poland cross-sectional survey - Abstract, objectives, methods and key results

Aug 25, 2026

The Migraine in Poland study is a cross-sectional survey examining symptomatology, consulting behavior, diagnosis, treatment use, and impact of migraine among Polish patients. The survey ran from August 2021 to June 2022 and recruited mostly people with headaches via web-based channels. Diagnosis was assessed using International Classification of Headache Disorders criteria, alongside detailed questions on healthcare utilization and acute versus preventive therapy, including non-pharmacological approaches.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

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Pages15

Reading Time38 min

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Background and objectives

Methods

Results

Conclusion and plain language summary

Consulting, diagnosis and treatment patterns in migraine: results from the Migraine in Poland cross-sectional survey Marta Waliszewska-Prosół, Marcin Straburzyn´ski, Sławomir Budrewicz, Karol Marschollek, Magdalena Nowaczewska, Paweł Gac´ and Richard B. Lipton Abstract Background: The Migraine in Poland study is a cross-sectional survey that assesses symptomatology, consulting, diagnosis, treatment and impact of migraine in Poland. Objectives: The purpose of this article is to define patterns of care for migraine in Polish patients. Methods: The survey was conducted from August 2021 to June 2022. Participants were recruited through various channels, targeting mostly persons suffering from headaches. The web survey included questions allowing for diagnosis according to the International Classification of Headache Disorders. A detailed questionnaire evaluated healthcare system utilization, history of diagnosis, as well as the use of acute or preventive treatment, including non-pharmacological methods. Results: In total, 3225 individuals aged 13–80 (mean age 38. 9) responded to the questionnaire (87 . 1% were women) . Migraine without aura (MwoA) diagnosis was confirmed in 1679 (52 . 7%) of subjects, and 1571 (93 . 6%) of them consulted a medical professional for their headaches in the past. Among those who consulted for headache, 91% reported having received a medical diagnosis of migraine. 92.5% of MwoA participants declared the current use of some form of treatment. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and acetaminophen were the most frequently used acute medications (n = 1318, 78. 5%) followed by combination analgesics, especially those containing codeine (n = 991, 59%) . Triptans/ergots were used by 57. 1% . A total of 22.8% of subjects used acute treatment with a frequency indicating medication-overuse. Prophylactic treatment was at some point used by 35.68%, while 11.49% were currently on preventive medications. The most frequently prescribed preventives were iprazochrome (8 . 99%), followed by flunarizine (8 . 10%) and topiramate (5 . 90%) . A total of 23. 28% subjects used nutraceuticals for migraine prevention (most frequently magnesium) . Conclusion: Despite high consultation and diagnosis rates among Polish patients with migraine, there is a need for improving standards of care, especially in regard to choice of treatment. There is also a need to raise public awareness of the dangers of codeine-based medications (available over-the-counter in Poland) . Plain language summary Consulting, diagnosis and treatment patterns in migraine: results from the Migraine in Poland study The Migraine in Poland study is a cross-sectional survey that assesses symptomatology, consulting, diagnosis, treatment, and impact of migraine in Poland. The purpose of this paper is to define patterns of care for migraine in Polish patients. The survey was conducted TherAdv Neurol Disord 2025, Vol. 18: 1–15 DOI: 10. 1177/ 17562864251338675 © The Author(s), 2025. Article reuse guidelines: [sagepub.com/journals](sagepub.com/journals)permissions Correspondence to: Marta WaliszewskaProsół Department of Neurology, Wroclaw Medical University, Borowska 213 Str. , Wrocław 50-556, Poland marta.waliszewska@ [gmail.com](gmail.com) Marcin Straburzyn´ski Department of Family Medicine and Infectious Diseases, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Olsztyn, Poland Sławomir Budrewicz Karol Marschollek Department of Neurology, Wroclaw Medical University, Wroclaw, Poland Magdalena Nowaczewska Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, and Laryngological Oncology, Ludwik Rydygier Collegium Medicum in Bydgoszcz, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Torun´, Bydgoszcz, Poland Paweł Gac´ Department of Environmental Health, Occupational Medicine and Epidemiology, Wroclaw Medical University, Wrocław, Poland Richard B. Lipton Department of Neurology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA [jo

FAQs

How was diagnosis of migraine established in the Migraine in Poland survey?

The web survey included questions designed to allow diagnosis according to the International Classification of Headache Disorders. Participants also completed a detailed questionnaire on healthcare utilization and treatment history.

What proportion of respondents with migraine consulted medical professionals and received a migraine diagnosis?

Among those who consulted for headache, 91% reported having received a medical diagnosis of migraine. Among participants with migraine without aura, 93.6% consulted a medical professional for their headaches in the past.

Which acute and preventive treatments were most commonly used?

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and acetaminophen were the most frequently used acute medications, followed by combination analgesics, especially those containing codeine. Prophylactic treatment was used by 35.68% at some point, with 11.49% currently on preventive medications; iprazochrome, flunarizine, and topiramate were among the most frequently prescribed preventives.

Aug 25, 2026

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