The epidemiology and comorbidities of migraine and tension-type headache

Headache is one of the most common medical complaints resulting in presentation to a doctor’s office, and it is frequently associated with substantial personal and societal burden. This burden is often greater than the disability associated with several common medical disorders such as hypertension and diabetes. Migraine and tension-type headache (TTH) are the most common primary headache disorders. In the first section of this review, the authors will discuss the incidence and prevalence rates of migraine, as well as the data suggesting that such rates may have increased in the past. This is then followed by a discussion on several key migraine comorbid disorders, as well as the personal and societal burden associated with migraine. In the second section, the authors will similarly review the epidemiology of TTH, as well as its comorbid conditions and its burden on the individual and society.