Myths About Migraines
There Are Several Common Misconceptions Surrounding Headaches
Although many people suffer from migraine disease, there are still many that do not understand this disease and the debilitating impact on lives.
Migraine headaches are extremely misunderstood. Some view sufferers as lazy or unable to handle stress. Often, however, a migraine is debilitating and is a physical disease, frequently caused by genetics.
Myth Number One - A Migraine Headache is Just a Bad Headache
Migraine is a disease, a headache being just one symptom of this disease. Additional symptoms include:
- Nausea or vomiting
- Sensitivity to light
- Auras
- Numbness
- Difficulty with speech
- Headache (normally on one side of the head)
Symptoms of migraines can last anywhere from several hours to a few weeks.
Migraine disease is considered to be genetic. A child with a parent suffering from migraine disease has a 50% chance of also suffering from migraines. Both controllable and uncontrollable triggers can cause a migraine.
Some of the triggers that can be controlled are:
- Bright light
- Aspartame
- Alcohol
Some of the triggers that cannot be controlled are:
- Weather patterns
- Menstrual cycles
Myth Number Two - Only Women Get Migraines
Migraines are more common in women than in men. According to the World Health Organization between 15% and 18% of women suffer from migraines and between 6% and 8% of men suffer from migraines. The increase in migraines in women is thought to be hormonal. But this in no way undermines the suffering in men caused by migraines.
Myth Number Three - Migraines Are Just Annoying, They Are Not Dangerous
Migraines can, in fact, be dangerous. MAGNUM, the National Migraine Association indicates that “migraines can lead to ischemic stroke or strokes can be aggravated by or associated with the development of migraine.” In addition, the Mayo clinic states that 25% of cerebral infarctions are associated with migraines. According to these sources, migraines can contribute to life threatening conditions.
In addition to stroke, migraine disease causes debilitating pain in many sufferers. Time lost from work can lead to missed promotions and opportunities and lower pay and sometimes humiliation based on myths surrounding migraines
Myth Number Four - Migraines Are Caused From Stress and Other Psychological Problems
Migraines are considered to be hereditary. They are not caused by stress and psychological factors. Although triggers are different based on the individual, there are some common triggers, such as menstrual cycle, that are not considered to be controllable. Controllable triggers can include such things as aspartame or alcohol. Individuals suffering from migraine disease would benefit from tracking their headaches to determine their triggers and avoiding those that may cause a migraine.
For some people, however, stress and emotional distress can be a trigger for a migraine but it is not the cause of the migraine.
Myth Number Five - All Doctors Understand Migraines and Can Properly Treat Them
Migraine disease is not understood or taken seriously by some doctors. According to the Mayo Clinic, migraines are often undiagnosed and untreated. MAGNUM indicates that between 60% and 70% of people with migraine disease have never been correctly diagnosed.
Diagnosis of migraine is sometimes difficult as symptoms and triggers are different in each person. For example, pain from a migraine headache is usually on one side of the head, however, up to one third of migraine sufferers indicate pain on both sides of the head. There is no medical test to provide a definitive diagnosis, but the diagnosis is instead based on symptoms.
In addition, some doctors will still assume that a migraine headache is caused from stress and will treat stress rather than the migraine disease.
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Sources:
How Common Are Headaches, Sept 30 2005, World Health Organization
Migraine-related Strokes, 1987, JP Broderick, JW Swanson, PubMed
Migraine, June 2007, Mayo Clinic
Misdiagnosis and Misconception about Migraine, MAGNUM, Migraine Awareness Group
