Medication overuse headache

Ensure that the patient is educated about the concept of MOH.

• This is an open, patient-centric process that begins with understanding the reason and context behind medication overuse.

• This is followed by education on the risk factors and consequences of medication overuse, and an explanation of the multidisciplinary treatment approach to MOH, involving pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions.

The concept of medication overuse and its treatment can be uncomfortable for both healthcare providers and patients, as the advice to minimise or discontinue acute medications seems to contradict the objective of minimising pain.

• Always emphasise that it is not the patient's fault for overusing acute medication.

• Avoid frightening the patient into stopping medications unsupervised or refraining from taking any acute medication at all.