Evolving Perceptions and Care Challenges in Migraine: Michael Marmura, MD

WATCH TIME: 3 minutes

"We’ve finally moved past blaming patients for migraine—it’s not about stress or diet. It’s a neurological disease that needs real treatment."

Migraine awareness month, celebrated every June, is a social initiative dedicated to raising public and clinical awareness around migraine, a chronic neurological disease that affects over 1 billion people worldwide. Spearheaded by organizations like the American Migraine Foundation, Migraine Trust, and Miles for Migraine, the month features advocacy campaigns, educational events, social media outreach, and patient stories.

Efforts around raising awareness for migraine are critical, as migraine is the second leading cause of years lived with disability globally, and there remains a large portion of patients who go undiagnosed or undertreated each year. In addition, there are several misconceptions and social stigma around the condition, which is often misunderstood as “just a headache.” As many know, migraine results in significant productivity loss, school and work absences, and healthcare costs–estimated in the tens of billions of dollars annually in the U.S. alone.

In an effort to continue the conversations around migraine awareness, NeurologyLive^® sat down with migraine expert Michael Marmura, MD, director of outpatient care at Jefferson Headache Center. In this discussion, Marmura highlighted the major advances in migraine care over the past 2 decades, emphasizing increased recognition of migraine as a serious neurological condition, the shift away from patient-blaming attitudes, and the development of migraine-specific therapies. In addition, he also addressed the persistent challenges in outpatient settings, including limited access to headache specialists and the complexity of delivering individualized care for a condition that varies widely between patients.