Diagnosis for migraine often takes several years
Migraine diagnosis often takes several years
Migraine affects over a million people in Sweden and is one of our major public health problems – in fact, more common than both asthma and diabetes. Many people suffer from chronic migraines and it can be difficult to find the right help. TV4 Nyheterna is highlighting migraines in a series of news reports because it has been shown that it takes an average of over 5 years to establish the correct diagnosis for migraines in Sweden.
These news items are based, among other things, on a survey called "Living with migraine in Sweden" which was published in December 2024. It was conducted by the research company Verian (formerly Kantar Public) on behalf of Pfizer.
The fact that it takes so long to get the right help is of course incredibly frustrating for those affected, especially since migraine is classified as one of the most difficult diseases to live with.
Here are the key figures and conclusions from the migraine report:
Long waiting time: For those who do receive a diagnosis, it takes an average of 5,6 years from the time they start experiencing symptoms until the healthcare system confirms the diagnosis.
Large hidden number: Almost half ( 49 percent ) of the more than 1,300 people surveyed who felt they had migraines lacked a formal diagnosis.
Consequences: The report highlights that the lack of diagnosis means that many people go without proper treatment. This leads to great suffering, a lower quality of life and a risk of migraines worsening and becoming chronic over time.
Lack of knowledge: The Swedish Headache Association, which commented on the study, pointed out that there are large regional differences in Sweden and often a lack of knowledge about the disease within primary care.
Migraine surgery – a modern treatment method
On Elite Clinic We are the first clinic in Sweden to offer migraine surgery for patients with chronic migraine who do not respond to standard medications or injection treatment.
👉🏼 Read more about migraine surgery
👉🏼 Watch the feature about migraines and the long time to diagnosis on TV4
More news articles about migraine care in Sweden:
https://www.tv4play.se/klipp/6530dc91b5dc344a571a/video-stora-skillnader-inom-migranvarden-i-landet
