Management of migraine headaches in a chronic pain patient: A case report

Managing migraines complicated with medication overuse headaches and opioid-induced hyperalgesia can be challenging, especially within the geriatric and chronic pain population. A 65-year-old woman with a degenerative spine condition and chronic migraine headaches, along with other comorbidities, was admitted to the geriatric psychiatry unit for extreme mood swings and paranoia. Prior to admission, she had been taking extended-release morphine sulfate twice daily for more than a month and was unable to determine triggers to her frequent migraine headaches. She had a history of medication overuse and severe migraine episodes within 4 weeks prior to admission. This case report reviews the challenges of treating a geriatric patient with probable chronic migraines in addition to other pain conditions and comorbidities.