The Burden of Analgesics Overprescription for Chronic Headache: Impacts on Patients, Healthcare System and Countries

Chronic headache (CH) is a leading cause of debilitating disorders, with many headache types remaining undiagnosed due to improper medication use. This misuse not only worsens the underlying condition but also leads to a secondary problem: medication overuse headache (MOH). This creates a cycle of increasingly complex headache cases, posing significant challenges for patients, healthcare providers, and the healthcare system as a whole. Physicians often contribute to this issue by prescribing analgesics without proper assessment or adequately educating patients on their correct use, thereby increasing the risk of MOH. However, MOH is a preventable condition. Prevention relies on educating both healthcare providers-through adherence to headache management guidelines-and patients, empowering them to use medications appropriately. This article provides a comprehensive review of the consequences of overprescription analgesics for CH population, and effective prevention strategies to mitigate its impact.