43.5 billion annually in direct and indirect costs

The high direct and indirect costs mean that, after senile dementia and stroke, migraine and other headache diseases are among the three most expensive neurological diseases with the greatest socioeconomic impact. If psychiatric illnesses are also taken into account, headaches take the 6th place among the most expensive brain diseases in Europe. Of all brain diseases, headaches are the most common group of diseases in Europe, with 152.8 million people affected in 2010. They involve around 9 billion euros in direct costs for services related to the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of headaches, such as doctor consultations, hospital stays and medication. In addition, there are another 34.5 billion euros in indirect costs , such as reductions in work productivity and incapacity to work. In total, headaches cause 43.5 billion in direct and indirect costs in Europe every year.

The table above lists brain diseases and costs in the EU in 2010 (Explanation: Direct medical costs: services related to the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of the disease, e.g. doctor's consultation, hospital, medication; direct non-medical costs: other Benefits, e.g. social services, special accommodation, special employment facilities; indirect costs: reduction in productivity, inability to work, etc.

Source: Gustavsson A, Svensson M, Jacobi F, Allgulander C, Alonso J, Beghi E, Dodel R, Ekman M, Faravelli C, Fratiglioni L, Gannon B, Jones DH, Jennum P, Jordanova A, Jonsson L, Karampampa K, Knapp M, Kobelt G, Kurth T, Lieb R, Linde M, Ljungcrantz C, Maercker A, Melin B, Moscarelli M, Musayev A, Norwood F, Preisig M, Pugliatti M, Rehm J, Salvador-Carulla L, Schlehofer B, Simon R, Steinhausen HC, Stovner LJ, Vallat JM, Van den Bergh P, van Os J, Vos P, Xu W, Wittchen HU, Jonsson B, Olesen J, Group CD (2011) Cost of disorders of the brain in Europe 2010 .European neuropsychopharmacology: the journal of the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology 21:718-779