When the Standard Protocol Fails: What to Do About Migraine Resistance

Steve_carell13 Nov, 2025Health

Standard migraine protocols often assume a “one size fits all” approach: treat acute attacks, offer preventive therapy when needed. But for a significant subgroup this fails. Research from tertiary headache centres shows that current preventive drugs often achieve only modest benefit or drop out due to side-effects. The key is recognising resistance early: define what “failure” means (e.g., still 15+ headache days/month despite 3 drug classes) and then escalate care—consider newer therapies, behavioural treatments or a specialist referral.