Detectably less headache days through the migraine app

25 percent less headache days thanks to the use of a migraine app

Millions of Germans suffer from headaches every now and then. Although in many cases home remedies for the complaints can help, but often attack affected quickly to painkillers. As a study has shown, the use of a migraine app can help to reduce the intake of such drugs. In addition, it helps to significantly reduce the headache days.

It does not always have to be medication

Pain on the temples and a buzzing skull: Headaches are now among the common diseases. According to experts, about 50 million people in Germany are affected and four million even suffer from it every day. Although the symptoms can be remedied in many cases with home remedies such as peppermint oil, lemon balm or coffee with lemon, but many Germans prefer to resort to medication. A special app for migraine and headache patients can help reduce the use of painkillers. And it helps to significantly reduce the number of headache days.

Around 50 million people in Germany suffer from headaches every now and then. According to a new study, the number of headache days can be significantly reduced by using a migraine app. (Image: gpointstudio / fotolia.com)

Need for administration of headache tablets is reduced

According to a recent study by the Pain Clinic Kiel and the Techniker Krankenkasse (TK), pain days can be significantly reduced by using a migraine app.

According to a statement from the health insurance company, users of such an app of TC suffer on average around three days a month less headaches than without using the app - an average of ten instead of 13.3 days a month (minus 25 percent).

"The study clearly shows that patients benefit from the accompaniment of their treatment with the migraine app," said Prof. Dr. med. Hartmut Göbel, medical director of the Pain Clinic Kiel, in a statement.

"You have fewer headache days per month, and the need to take acute headache medication is also decreasing," says the expert.

By comparison, most predictive headache preparations reduce the number of headache days by an average of one to two days a month.

"The migraine app shows that well-made digital healthcare offerings really do bring something," said TK Chief Executive. Jens Baas.

The app has a noticeable added value for the patient.

Health risks from long-term use of painkillers

As the TK reported last year, every tenth German takes at least one headache tablet daily.

A reduction in the intake of such preparations can actually be of health benefit to those affected.

Because if taken incorrectly and frequently, painkillers can cause permanent headaches.

Enormous reduction of headache days

"Extrapolated to all users of the app, the reduction of headache days can currently be estimated at 5.3 million days per year with 136,000 downloads", explained pain expert Göbel.

The study also proves that the app supports medical treatment and that digital medicine has arrived at the modern medical consultation. According to this, seven out of ten users surveyed (71 percent) bring the migraine app to the doctor's office.

And 58 percent use the app results to decide together with their doctor about the therapy, especially to adapt the medication.

Seventy-six percent say that the app helps them keep their doctor's treatment plan. In addition, 80 percent prefer the app solution to a traditional pain diary on paper.

"Efficient instrument for effective self-management"

"The migraine app is an efficient tool for effective self-management," says TK CEO Baas.

"The study shows us that it pays to rely on the opportunities of digitization and to make it active," said the chairman of the health insurance.

"On the one hand, the health apps market is booming and hundreds of thousands of apps are available in digital stores," Baas added.

"But most of them have neither utility nor efficiency. Unlike many others, health apps are not toys. We therefore urgently need a meaningful risk classification. "

Analyze and control disease progression

As explained in the reports of the Kiel Pain Clinic and the health insurance, the TK migraine app supports patients with chronic headaches to digitally accurately document their disease process, analyze it with just a few clicks and control.

It also informs users and suggests behavioral measures based on the individual data entered.

For example, if the user exceeds the maximum allowable acute medication of no more than nine days per month, he will receive a warning.

The patients also have access to comprehensive information and self-help tools.

For example, they can find a pain specialist nearby, access the TK Headache Coach, or relax under guidance with Progressive Muscle Relaxation.

Since spring, the migraine app also includes the simulation of a migraine aura. It shows how visual disturbances look like in migraine attacks.

This is important because the symptoms are often confused with those of a stroke, said neurologist Göbel.

Users appreciate this: 40 percent of the respondents praised the fact that for the first time they were able to make others understand how the field of vision is limited by a migraine aura.

App is mainly used by women

For the current study, 1,464 active users of TK's migraine app were surveyed online. Respondents have been using the app for an average of around 13 months, are around 47 years old on average, and have suffered from headaches for an average of 27 years.

The migraine app has been developed by pain experts of the pain clinic Kiel together with scientists and care experts of the TK and self-help groups.

The users are mostly women. Both women and men benefit from the use of the app and evaluate it equally well. There is a tendency for younger app users to get bigger effects. (Ad)