Postgraduate Course: Clinical Management of Headache Disorders (PAMA11065)
Course Outline
| School | Edinburgh Medical School |
College | College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 11 (Postgraduate) |
| Course type | Online Distance Learning |
Availability | Not available to visiting students |
| SCQF Credits | 20 |
ECTS Credits | 10 |
| Summary | Headache is a global burden. Despite the number of different headache disorders, and the impact they have on society globally, headache is poorly represented in the education of both undergraduate and postgraduate healthcare professionals.
A focus on providing education is likely to be the critical step in improving the fortunes of sufferers. The objective of this course is to offer a high-quality educational solution. It is hoped that those taking the course will become foci not only for better patient diagnosis and management of headache disorders, but also for teaching and advocacy. |
| Course description |
Section 1: Understanding the Burden. Explore the prevalence and impact of headache disorders, emphasising the need for improved patient care and support. Objectives:
1. Understand headache prevalence.
2. Recognise the individual and societal burden of headache disorders.
3. Advocate for improved services and support for sufferers.
Section 2: Diagnosis and Classification. Learn to accurately diagnose primary and secondary headache disorders, enabling effective management strategies. Objectives:
1. Differentiate between headache types.
2. Recognise features of common headache subtypes.
3. Utilise diagnostic tools for quick identification.
4. Understand chronic headache guidelines.
Section 3: Treatment Strategies. Discover effective treatment options for common headaches and learn to adapt management approaches over time. Objectives:
1. Identify treatment options for various headache types.
2. Acknowledge the evolving nature of treatment needs.
3. Learn to assess treatment efficacy and adjust management accordingly.
4. Understand evidence-based practice in headache management.
Section 4: Comprehensive Management. Explore holistic management approaches, including lifestyle adjustments and collaboration with other healthcare professionals. Objectives:
1. Expand management beyond pharmaceuticals.
2. Consider various factors contributing to headache presentations.
3. Recognise the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration.
4. Adapt management strategies to evolving patient needs.
Section 5: Managing Chronic Migraine. Focus on diagnosing and managing chronic migraine, emphasising the impact on individuals and society. Objectives:
1. Diagnose chronic migraine.
2. Understand the societal impact of chronic migraine.
3. Identify and address medication overuse.
4. Explore advanced treatment options, such as Botox and monoclonal antibodies.
By completing this course, participants will develop the skills and knowledge necessary to become advocates for headache sufferers and contribute to improved patient care outcomes.
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Course Delivery Information
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| Academic year 2025/26, Not available to visiting students (SS1)
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Quota: None |
| Course Start |
MVM Online Learning Block 2 |
| Course Start Date |
05/01/2026 |
Timetable |
Timetable |
| Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Total Hours:
200
(
Lecture Hours 10,
Online Activities 30,
Feedback/Feedforward Hours 6,
Formative Assessment Hours 10,
Summative Assessment Hours 60,
Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 4,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
80 )
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| Assessment (Further Info) |
Written Exam
0 %,
Coursework
100 %,
Practical Exam
0 %
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| Additional Information (Assessment) |
Assessment and Feedback in this course is covered by the University of Edinburgh Assessment and Feedback Principles and Priorities. These can be found at this link https://edwebcontent.ed.ac.uk/sites/default/files/atoms/files/assessmentfeedbackprinciplespriorities.pdf .
The key principles that underpin assessment activities are evidence-based practice and the application of theory to clinical practice.
Assessment will consist of the following:
- Assessment 1: Short Written Reflective Essays (x5) 50%
- Assessment 2: Written Essay (x1) 50%
If you fail to make a reasonable attempt at any of the assessments in the course, you risk a failing grade for the course, which could have repercussions in your ability to achieve a final award in the programme. |
| Feedback |
Assessment and Feedback in this course is covered by the University of Edinburgh Assessment and Feedback Principles and Priorities. These can be found at this link https://edwebcontent.ed.ac.uk/sites/default/files/atoms/files/assessmentfeedbackprinciplespriorities.pdf .
Throughout your studies, you will receive regular feedback on your work. This helps to maximise the effectiveness of learning and teaching and enhances your performance. Feedback can be any comment from another person that may result in improving your learning and understanding. It is important to remember that feedback is not always in written form on a marked piece of work. Whilst feedback can take this form, most of the feedback you will receive during your university career may not associated with a mark.
Feedback is provided on all items of in-course assessment, both summative and formative. Formative feedback may take the form of group feedback where only salient points for the whole group are provided.
When marked work is returned to you, it is your responsibility to read and think about the feedback given and not just look at the mark. The feedback gives you an indication of what you did well, what you misunderstood and what you did not address correctly. If you have any questions, please contact the named Course Organiser. |
| No Exam Information |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Understand and discuss with other healthcare professionals and patients the prevalence of headache types, the direct and indirect costs of headache, and act as an advocate for sufferers who require better services and better support and understanding across work, chores and social activities, as well as from social care.
- Demonstrate a critical undertraining and recognition of the common primary and secondary headache disorders and be able to formulate, and discuss as part of an interprofessional student group, the rationale for patient-centred management.
- Utilise evidence-based diagnosis and management tools to quickly identify different headache subtypes and recognise the features of episodic and chronic headaches according to internationally accepted guidelines.
- Apply methods to understand the evidence in clinical trials and how the evidence affects guidelines, treatment options, and personal practice in primary care that recognises and identifies a wide range of factors that can contribute to a presentation, and understand that bespoke management is most likely to succeed.
- Develop and apply skills related to academia, professional reflection and critical analysis of the literature, to evaluate current practices in headache management and continue to use these skills as a lifelong learner.
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Learning Resources
A list of Learning Resources will be provided to ensure access to appropriate and relevant resources to enable full participation in this course.
Details about the Learning Resource Lists can be found at https://www.ed.ac.uk/information-services/research-teaching-staff/resource-lists/information-for-students
Resource material will be provided each week to enhance and support learning. Examples of the variety of materials used can be seen below. Please note this is indicative of what will be provided, and this may be subject to change.
Bigal, M.E. & Lipton, R.B. (2007) The Differential Diagnosis of Chronic Daily Headaches: An Algorithm-Based Approach. The Journal of Headache and Pain. 8 (5), 263:272.
Cady, R.K., Borchert, L.D., Spalding, W., Hart, C.C. & Sheftell, F.D. (2004) Simple and Efficient Recognition of Migraine With Headache Screen. Headache: The Journal of Head and Face Pain. 44 (4), 323:327.
Cittadini, E. & Goadsby, P.J. (2010) Hemicrania Continua: A Clinical Study Of 39 Patients with Diagnostic Implications. Brain. 133 (7), 1973:1986.
Classification ICHD-3 (2021) The International Classification of Headache Disorders 3rd Edition.
Cohen, A. (2007) Short-Lasting Unilateral Neuralgiform Headache Attacks with Conjunctival Injection and Tearing. Cephalalgia. 27 (7), 824:832.
Davies, P.T., Lane, R.J., Astbury, T., Fontebasso, M., Murphy, J. & Matharu, M. (2018) The Long and Winding Road: The Journey Taken By Headache Sufferers In Search Of Help. Primary Health Care Research & Development. 20, E4.
Dodick, D. (2003) Clinical Clues and Clinical Rules: Primary Vs Secondary Headache. Advanced Studies in Medicine. 3 (6c), S550:S555.
Dodick, D.W. (2018) A Phase-By-Phase Review of Migraine Pathophysiology. Headache. 58 (S1).
Durham, P.L. & Cady, R. (2011) Insights Into The Mechanism Of Onabotulinumtoxina In Chronic Migraine. Headache. 51 (10), 1573:1577.
Dyer, O. (2018) Us Approves First Monoclonal Antibody to Prevent Migraines. BMJ (Online). 361, K2228:K2228.
Hershey, A.D. (2017) CGRP: The Next Frontier for Migraine. The New England Journal of Medicine. 377 (22), 2190:2191.
Lipton, R.B., Stewart, W.F., Cady, R., Hall, C., O, Apos, Quinn, S., Kuhn, T. & Gutterman, D. (2000) Sumatriptan for The Range of Headaches in Migraine Sufferers: Results Of The Spectrum Study. Headache. 40 (10), 783:791.
M. Kosinski, M. S. Bayliss, J. B. Bjorner, J. E. Ware, J., W. H. Garber, A. Batenhorst, R. Cady, C. G. H. Dahlöf, A. Dowson & S. Tepper (2003) A Six-Item Short-Form Survey for Measuring Headache Impact: The Hit-6. Quality Of Life Research. 12 (8), 963:974.
Moore, A.R., Derry, S., Straube, S., Ireson-Paine, J. & Wiffen, P.J. (2014) Faster, Higher, Stronger? Evidence For Formulation and Efficacy for Ibuprofen in Acute Pain. Pain (Amsterdam). (1), 14:21.
Moore, R., Derry, S., Straube, S., Ireson-Paine, J. & Wiffen, P. (2015) Validating Speed of Onset as a Key Component of Good Analgesic Response In Acute Pain. European Journal of Pain. (2), 187:192.
Olesen, J. (1991) Clinical and Pathophysiological Observations in Migraine and Tension-Type Headache Explained by Integration Of Vascular, Supraspinal And Myofascial Inputs. Pain (Amsterdam). 46 (2), 125:132.
Olesen, J. (2018) Headache Classification Committee of The International Headache Society (Ihs) The International Classification of Headache Disorders, 3rd Edition. Cephalalgia: An International Journal of Headache. 38 (1), 1:211.
Prakash, S. (2018) The International Classification Of Headache Disorders: Anything New In 3rd Edition? Journal Of Integrated Health Sciences. 6 (1), 1:2.
Rizzoli, P. & Mullally, W.J. (2018) Headache. American Journal of Medicine. 131 (1),17:24.
Shevel, E. & Spierings, E.H. (2004) Cervical Muscles in The Pathogenesis Of Migraine Headache. Journal Of Headache and Pain. 5 (1), 12:14.
Skljarevski, V., Oakes, T.M., Zhang, Q., Ferguson, M.B., Martinez, J., Camporeale, A., Johnson, K.W., Shan, Q., Carter, J., Schacht, A., Goadsby, P.J. & Dodick, D.W. (2017) Effect of Different Doses of Galcanezumab Vs Placebo For Episodic Migraine Prevention: A Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Neurology. 75 (2), 187:193.
Steiner, T.J. & Stovner, L.J. (2019) Societal Impact of Headache: Burden, Costs and Response. 1st Ed. 2019. Cham, Switzerland, Springer.
Stewart, W.F., Lipton, R.B., Whyte, J., Dowson, A., Kolodner, K., Liberman, J.N. & Sawyer, J. (1999) An International Study to Assess Reliability of The Migraine Disability Assessment (Midas) Score. Neurology. 53 (5), 988:988.
Stovner, L.J., Hagen, K., Linde, M. & Steiner, T.J. (2022) The Global Prevalence of Headache: An Update, With Analysis of The Influences Of Methodological Factors On Prevalence Estimates. Journal off Headache and Pain. 23 (1), 34.
Tanner, T., Aspley, S., Munn, A. & Thomas, T. (2010) The Pharmacokinetic Profile Of A Novel Fixed-Dose Combination Tablet Of Ibuprofen And Paracetamol. BMC Clinical Pharmacology. (10.
Tepper, S.J., Zatochill, M., Szeto, M., Sheftell, F., Tepper, D.E. & Bigal, M. (2008) Development Of A Simple Menstrual Migraine Screening Tool For Obstetric And Gynecology Clinics: The Menstrual Migraine Assessment Tool. Headache: The Journal of Head and Face Pain. 48 (10), 141:1425.
Vincent, M.B. (2010) Cervicogenic Headache: A Review Comparison with Migraine, Tension-Type Headache, And Whiplash. Current Pain and Headache Reports. 14 (3), 238:243.
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Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
During this course students will have to develop the ability to work independently as well as interact with fellow students. Students will develop skills in reflective practice as they draw on their own knowledge and experience, and that of other students, to complete their assignments. Their knowledge and understanding of the topic will improve, but students will also learn generic approaches and skills such as critical analysis and complex reasoning. Students will be expected to develop skills in literature searching, information synthesis and drawing reasoned conclusions from resources and information provided throughout the course. During assignment completion, skills such as presentation, academic writing and accurate referencing should be developed.
As the course is presented by online learning, it aims to contribute to students¿ IT, writing and communication skills which can be applied to both clinical and academic environments. |
| Keywords | Headache,migraine,tension-type,neurology,medicine,primary care |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Dr Sarah Henderson
Tel: 0131 242 6130
Email: |
Course secretary | Ms Ewelina Skala
Tel: (0131 5)37 1000
Email: |
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