News from DAC NEW – Spokane
Did you know that 16% of U.S. adults have reported experiencing migraine or severe headache? This is more than 42 million U.S. adults! This equates to 1 in 6 households!
Definitions
Migraine Disease: a neurological condition characterized by recurring headaches, often accompanied by other symptoms like nausea, vomiting, and sensitivity to light and sound. It’s more than just a bad headache and can significantly impact daily life.
Cluster Headache: one-sided head pain that may involve tearing of the eyes, a droopy eyelid, and a stuffy nose. Attacks last from 15 minutes to 3 hours, occur daily or almost daily for weeks or months. The attacks are separated by pain-free periods that last at least 1 month. Here are the stats of the number of people per age group who have experienced migraine or severe headache over the past three months: 18.7% of Americans aged 18-44, 15.7% of Americans aged 45-64, 9.3% of Americans aged 65-74, 6.1% of Americans aged 75+.
The Coalition for Headache & Migraine Patients (CHAMP) is comprised of organizations sending a unified message about headache and migraine diseases. Every June CHAMP dedicates the month to spreading awareness and education through various campaigns and initiatives, observed throughout the United States.
According to CHAMP: 21% of women have experienced migraine or severe headache. This is 1 in 5 U.S. adult women!10.7% of men have experienced migraine or severe headache. This is 1 in 10 U.S. adult men! 40%-50% of people who have migraine disease are undiagnosed. 15.5% of people with migraine disease have experienced suicidal ideation and 4% had a suicide attempt. 59% of people with cluster headache have experienced suicidal ideation and 8% had a suicide attempt.
Migraine attacks have distinct phases and understanding them is the first step toward advocating for your needs. Being able to identify and treat a migraine attack early on can help you prevent or minimize symptoms.
Timeline of a Migraine Attack: Prodrome – The beginning of a migraine attack, which can start several hours or even days before the headache. Aura – Only 20% of people with migraine experience aura. Its effects last between 5-60 minutes and are completely reversible. Headache – The third phase of a migraine attack that can last several hours or up to three days. Postdrome – The final phase of a migraine attack which is often called the “migraine hangover.”
Migraine affects everyone differently and there are a lot of misconceptions and misunderstanding of the language around migraine. This can make it hard to find a management plan that works for you. Migraine is a complex neurological disease with a range of debilitating and often invisible symptoms. Please talk to your doctor about management options.
The American Migraine Foundation has explained when talking to others about migraine, one way to spread awareness, correct misconceptions and reduce stigma is to use accurate terminology. Education and awareness are considered crucial components of migraine advocacy.
If you need resources to help educate yourself or those around you, the American Migraine Foundation has a variety of free resources available, including guides on how to talk to your doctor about migraine, requesting accommodations, and ways to respond to incorrect comments about migraine.
Patient Guides – Browse selection of downloadable, educational guides to migraine treatment and advocacy.