Effect of Educational and Behavioral Interventions on Medication-Overuse Headache: A Systematic Review and...

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Clinical Medicine
• Public Health

Background:

• Medication-overuse headache (MOH) is a prevalent secondary headache disorder linked to frequent acute medication use.
• Behavioral and psychosocial factors can exacerbate medication overuse in individuals with primary headache disorders.
• Current evidence on the effectiveness of educational and behavioral interventions for MOH is limited.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically evaluate the efficacy of educational and behavioral interventions for treating MOH.
• To assess the impact of these interventions on acute medication use, headache frequency, and disability.
• To compare short- and longer-term outcomes against usual care.

Main Methods:

• A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were conducted.
• Searches were performed in PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Central Register up to January 2026.
• Included studies focused on adults with MOH and assessed educational or behavioral interventions.

Main Results:

• Six RCTs involving 610 participants were analyzed.
• Brief educational interventions demonstrated clinically significant reductions in acute medication use and headache frequency.
• Multi-session interventions showed potential for additional benefits, but results were inconclusive due to heterogeneity and limited data.

Conclusions:

• Brief educational interventions represent a potentially valuable addition to MOH treatment strategies.
• The effectiveness of multi-session interventions requires further investigation through high-quality trials.
• Additional research is necessary to establish optimal intervention protocols for MOH.