The number of cases of migraine reported to health insurance companies has increased noticeably in the Northeast. While the majority of diagnoses are still made by female patients, the proportion of men is growing at an above-average rate.
Schwerin (dpa/mv) - The number of migraine patients registered by health insurance companies has increased in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania in recent years. Based on a projection, Barmer assumed that 16,000 men and 65,000 women would suffer from migraines in the north-east in 2020. The increase in diagnoses since 2015 can be read in the Barmer doctor's report as well as in the data from the AOK and the Techniker, but varies between 10 and over 22 percent depending on the health insurance company.
The clinical picture differs greatly depending on the patient. Barmer describes it as "headache attacks accompanied by symptoms such as nausea and loss of appetite, sensitivity to light or visual disturbances. The headaches occur on one side and can last four to 72 hours".
While in absolute figures both at Barmer and at AOK, the diagnoses in the age group between 30 and 39 years increased the most, Barmer recently pointed out the strong percentage increase in the age group of 20 to 29 year olds, in particular men. Overall, the data from the statutory health insurance companies also shows that the proportion of men is increasing.
"In general, migraines are often still considered a "women's disease". However, we see much higher rates of increase in men," says Henning Kutzbach, state manager of Barmer in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. The doctor's report by the health insurance company shows an overall increase in diagnoses among men of 15 percent between 2015 and 2020, and among women it was almost 10 percent more in the same period. According to the AOK, the diagnoses among men increased at an above-average rate in the same period, at almost 30 percent twice as much as among female AOK-insured persons.
According to the Association of Substitute Health Insurance vdek, the AOK in the north-east has over 400,000 insured persons, the Techniker says it has around 200,000 and Barmer gives this number at over 250,000.
