More Than a Headache: An Escape Room Challenge Providing Practical Migraine Update for GPs
Yusra HASHMI, Khunsha FATIMA and Akram HUSSAIN
Migraine and chronic headache disorders are among the most common and disabling conditions seen in primary care, yet they remain under-recognised, under-treated, and over-referred. My interest in this area stems from my own lived experience of debilitating, treatment-resistant chronic migraines, which affected my personal and professional life. Through this journey, I gained deeper insight into the complexity of headache disorders and the gaps in care that many patients face. During final year of my General Practice Training, I started doing dedicated migraine and chronic headache clinics in my own time free of cost, where I learned that headaches are rarely “just headaches” and often reflect a broader biopsychosocial context. Recent advances, including CGRP-targeted therapies, have significantly changed migraine management and offer new opportunities for effective primary care treatment.Enhance participants’ confidence and competence in managing migraine and chronic headache disorders in primary care. We will explore the complexity of headache presentations, apply sustainable patient-centred management strategies, reduce unnecessary specialist referrals and understand the role of newer treatments, including CGRP-based therapies, such as Monoclonal Antibodies (mAbs) and Small-Molecule Antagonists (Gepants).An interactive approach to make learning engaging and memorable with brief teaching segments interspersed with case-based discussions reflecting anonymised real primary care scenarios, allowing participants to apply knowledge immediately. Live audience interaction facilitated through polling tools and myth-busting quizzes, encouraging participation and reinforcing learning points. Practical decision-making exercises aligned with current guidelines would enable attendees to consolidate their management strategies. Participants will also be given resources, including headache diary template developed in the presenter’s clinics, to support ongoing patient care and follow-up.Participants will gain confidence in managing migraines and chronic headaches in primary care, improve clinical decision-making, and contribute to more sustainable care by reducing unnecessary referrals and specialist waiting times.Improving headache management begins with confidence, clarity, and connection. We aim to reframe how headaches are understood and managed in primary care. By combining lived experience, clinical insight, and interactive learning, we want to empower primary care clinicians to deliver effective, compassionate, and sustainable headache care by recognising that behind every headache is a patient with a unique story.
