Analysis of Internet sites for headache.

The Internet is capable of providing an unprecedented amount of information to both physicians and patients interested in headache. To assess the status of headache information on the Internet (as of January 2000), a search for 'headache' was performed using 10 leading Internet search engines. The number of web pages identified ranged from 4419 (WebCrawler) to 506 426 (Northern Light). The 'average' search yielded nearly 150 000 web page listings for 'headache'. The content was then reviewed of the top 10 listed web pages for each search (i.e. a total of 100 page listings). The results demonstrate that, at the present time, Internet-based information on headache is extensive but poorly organized. Editorial review of this potential valuable resource is required in order to maximize its utility in headache education and management.