Coping styles of headache sufferers

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Psychology
• Pain Medicine

Background:

• Headache chronification and aggravation are influenced by psychological factors.
• Understanding coping mechanisms is crucial for managing chronic headache disorders.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the role of psychological factors in the chronification of tension-type headaches (TTH) and transformation of migraine.
• To compare psychological profiles and coping strategies between migraine and TTH patients.

Main Methods:

• Assessed 90 patients with migraine, chronic daily headache (CDH), and TTH using Kiel Pain Inventory (KPI), Beck's Depression Inventory, State-Trait-Anxiety Inventory, and Quality of Life Questionnaire.
• Analyzed clinical headache course using a validated headache diary.
• Evaluated internal reliability of the KPI for pain coping assessment.

Main Results:

• KPI demonstrated reliable internal consistency for assessing pain coping strategies in headache patients.
• Migraine sufferers exhibited more psychological abnormalities and less adaptive coping during headache phases compared to TTH patients.
• Chronic TTH and CDH showed more psychological disability and severe headache courses than episodic TTH or non-transformed migraine.
• Impaired quality of life predicted migraine transformation, while headache frequency and depression predicted TTH transformation.
• Psychological disability was a more significant factor in headache chronification and transformation than analgesic misuse.

Conclusions:

• Psychological factors play a critical role in the development and progression of chronic headaches.
• Migraine and TTH patients differ in their psychological distress and coping mechanisms.
• Behavioral interventions targeting psychological well-being are recommended for managing chronic headache conditions.