More on Migraine
If you or a loved one live with migraine, youāre in the right place
Migraine is a complex, neurological disease which affects people differently. Hereās some helpful information on what migraine is and resources to learn more.
DID YOU KNOW THAT THERE ABOUT 40 MILLION PEOPLE IN THE U.S. LIVE WITH MIGRAINE DISEASE?
Migraine is a common neurological disease that affects an estimated 1 out of every 6 Americans. While itās difficult to pinpoint exactly why migraine occurs, there are a number of risk factors including genetics, gender, and other environmental triggers that can cause migraine.
Common migraine triggers are:
Bright lights
Weather changes
Changes in routine
Lack of sleep
Caffeine
Barometric pressure changes
Dehydration
Strong smells
Hormone changes
Food or drinks
There are 4 phases to a migraine:
headache, Prodrome, Aura, Headache and Postdrome
PHASE 1
PRODROME
Prodrome occurs before a migraine attack. 75% of people living with migraine experience prodrome ā but may have trouble identifying it. Prodrome symptoms can appear as:
Tiredness and yawning
Problems concentrating, irritability or depression
Nausea
Fatigue
Sensitivity to light and sound
Food cravings
Muscle stiffness
PHASE 2
AURA
Only affecting 15 to 20% of people with migraine, an aura is sensory, motor, or speech symptoms that warn that a migraine is about to begin and lasts between 5-60 minutes.
This can include:
Bright flashing dots, lights or sparkles or other visual disturbances
Blind spots or temporary vision loss
Speech changes
Changes in smell or taste
PHASE 3
HEADACHE
This stage is what we associate most with migraine as it describes the drilling, throbbing or pulsating sensations that are typically on one side of the head and can spread to the other side.
During the headache stage, you may expereince:
Sensitivity to noise, light and odors
Nausea and vomiting or abdominal pain
Loss of appetite
Speech changes
Dizziness and blurred vision
PHASE 4
POSTDROME
Postdrome is nicknamed a āmigraine hangoverā as it describes the 1-2 days after a migraine attack.
While the attack is over, symptoms can include::
Inability to concentrate
Confusion and difficulty with comprehension
Fatigue
Feelings of depression
understanding DIFFerent types of Migraine
Did you know there are multiple different types of migraine? Starting with frequency, there are two ways to classify migraine based on how often attacks occur.
Migraine with or without aura
Chronic Migraine
Menstrual Migraine
Medication-overuse Migraine
Aura without Headache (Silent Migraine)
Migraine with Brainstem Aura
Hemiplegic Migraine
Retinal Migraine
Vestibular Migraine
Abdominal Migrane
Episodic migraine means that someone has between 0 to 14 migraine attacks per month.
With chronic migraine, a person experiences 15 or more migraine attacks per month.
Migraine Treatment
Migraine treatment isnāt one-size-fits-all, and what works for me may not work for you. Itās important to understand the treatment options that are available and how they fit into your care plan.
There are three types of migraine treatments:
Preventative treatments ā These drugs are used daily or regularly to prevent migraine attacks.
Abortive treatments ā Abortives are taken early in an attack to reduce the length and severity of attacks
Rescue medicines ā When abortive medication does not work, rescue medications are brought in to supplement the treatment of the attack.
MIGRAINE RESOURCES
Migraine.com
Learn more about migraine including diagnosis, symptoms, treatment, patient stories, support and more from a migraine community perspective.
Global Healthy Living Foundation
GHLF is a non-profit whose mission is to improve the quality of life for people with chronic illness by advocating for improved access to health care at the community, state and federal levels, and amplifying education and awareness efforts in its social media framework. Their Talking Head Pain Podcast features advocates and experts.
Coalition for Headache and Migraine Patients
CHAMP brings together influential patient advocacy organizations and leaders for migraine, cluster and headache diseases. CHAMP seeks to enhance communication, coordination, and collaboration to fight stigma and help achieve fair access to treatments.
Miles for Migraine
Miles for Migraine reduces the burden of isolation and stigma for people living with migraine disease, headache disease and their caregivers. It creates community at walk/run events, educational programs and support groups.
Looking for more resources and communities? Here are some of my favorite migraine communities, organizations, and resources.
Chronic Migraine Awareness Inc.
Chronic Migraine Awareness supports, educates and empowers people in their health journeys. CMA hosts online peer-to-peer global support groups, social media campaigns and in-person events.
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