Attribution: [Image description: A woman sits next to her bed, holding her head and crying.] Via Claudia on Unsplash
As someone who has suffered from migraines for seventeen years of my life, I’ve dealt with my fair share of pain. Just like people, migraines come in all different shapes and sizes. For me, they can often seem like the Greek monster Hydra – as soon as I think I’ve mastered them and figured out my triggers, another one pops up for a completely different reason. According to the Migraine Research Foundation, nearly 1 in 4 United States households includes someone with a migraine.
Here are 20 things that migraine sufferers know to be true:
1. No, it’s not just a regular headache!
[Image Description: A baby panda covers its eyes and lowers its head] Via Giphy.comMigraines are actually categorized as a neurological condition. Side effects can include nausea, vomiting, sensitivity to lights and smells, an upset stomach, lightheadedness, fatigue, and tinnitus just to name a few. Talk about debilitating.Â
2. No, I can’t just take ibuprofen to take the pain away.
[Image Description: A cartoon woman with short hair and a purple shirt rubs her head] Via Giphy.Yes, pain medications can help, but sometimes migraines require stronger stuff. While there are pills available, they’re not for everyone as medication can be pretty strong and can have serious side effects. Also if you take too much medication, you can often get rebound headaches. Lucky us.Â
3. No, it’s not just a “woman” problem.
[Image Description: A woman looks off into the distance crying] Via Giphy.Migraines affect over 36 million men, women, and children in the US (and there’s little to no research into how it affects trans men, women, and non-binary people).
4. Children get migraines too.
[Image description: A young child looks around worried with his hands on his head] Via GiphyI first started getting mine when I was just 11 years old.
5. Migraines don’t just go away eventually on their own.
[Image description: The pictures zooms into the eye of a cat looking into space stunned] Within its eye is the same cat] Via Giphy.I’ve been suffering from them since puberty with no end in sight.Â
6. There isn’t just one type of migraine.
[Image Description: A man with sunglasses stares at purple and green flashing lights which reflect in his glasses] Via Giphy.comSome migraines include neck pain or cluster headaches, but some don’t even include a headache. Instead, you get auras which usually means you see flashing lights, zigzag lines, experience partial vision loss, or experience numbness or tingling in your body.Â
7. Getting more sleep doesn’t always solve the problem.
[Image Description: Tiana, a cartoon character from The Princess and The Frog, falls onto a bed, exhausted. She wears a green dress and her hair is falling out of her ponytail] Via Giphy.Some migraines have multiple triggers and getting more sleep doesn’t always mean the pain will go away the next day.
8. Similarly, it’s not always stress related!
[Image Description: A woman rubs her forehead and then her temples while looking stressed out] Via Giphy.comPeople who get migraines are not just highly stressed out people who need to chill.
9. Basically, there isn’t just one cause of migraines.
[Image Description: Jafar from Aladdin, wearing red and black robes, unrolls a long list that hits the throne, which the Sultan, wearing white robes, is sitting on] Via Giphy.These babies can be triggered by stress, fatigue, certain types of food, dehydration, changes in weather pressure, alcohol – the list goes on and on.Â
10. No, I’m not faking sick.
[Image Description: A man look up at the ceiling, rolls his eyes and says Ah-choo] Via GiphyI’m not lazy and I’m not trying to avoid an event. I legitimately can’t move and wish my whole day wasn’t being wasted lying in bed, in pain.Â
11. It’s not about drinking too much caffeine.
[Image Description: The cartoon cat Sylvester pours itself a cup of coffee, its hands shaking from too much caffeine]Â Via Giphy.comCoffee drinkers don’t get migraines more than others. In some cases, caffeine can actually help.Â
12. Migraines don’t always end after just a few hours or a day.
[Image Description: The pink Energizer rabbit hits a drum as it rolls through a desert] Via Giphy.comFor some people, it’s a chronic issue. Some migraines can go on for days, months, or even years.Â
13. They can have lasting effects – sometimes life-threatening ones.
[Image Description: A woman lays in bed with an ice pack on her head. She settles under the covers] Via Giphy.Cold cloths or ice packs on the head, taking a nap in a dark room, essential oils, and (pro tip) eating frozen grapes can help alleviate symptoms during an attack. Some who suffer from migraines often use non-pharmacologic treatments like acupuncture and say this can be a big help too.
15. There are some DIY remedies that help too.
[Image Description: A person massages a kitten’s shoulders as it sits upright] Via Giphy.comThere are a few at-home remedies you can make at home or buy over the counter to help with symptoms. A lavender-infused rice bag on your head can do wonders, especially if you put it in the freezer for half an hour or so. Sometimes essential oils under your nose or rubbed on your temples can be nice. Gentle massages can also help if the pain if you have a willing friend or partner! Try putting together a mental health kit to help you deal with your attacks.Â
16. Sometimes you can stop a migraine in its tracks.
[Image Description: Awkwafina, an American rapper, looks confident, holding a trophy while confetti rains down on her] Via Giphy.One of the pluses of having chronic migraines is that you can often sense it coming and sometimes, stop a migraine before it arrives. When you can do this, you feel like a champion!
17. Keeping track of your attacks can be useful!
[Image Description: A red knitted creature with pink pointed ears, a pink face and pig-snout sits at a desk writing in a notebook] Via Giphy.There are a few tools out there, such as the app Migraine Buddy, which creates records of attacks, tracks your sleep schedule, and lets you list possible day-to-day triggers. You can also keep a migraine journal.Â
18. The problems don’t end with the migraine.
[Image Description: April Ludgate, a character from Parks and Recreation, has two pillows taped around her head. She lowers her head to the desk in pain] Via Giphy.Many people suffer from both prodromes (warning signs of a migraine) and postdromes (a “migraine hangover”). Both can vary person to person, making it hard to pinpoint.
[Image Description: Xiomara, a female character from Jane the Virgin, sits in a church pew and raises her hands saying, Hallelujah.] Via Giphy.comOnce the effects do pass, you appreciate your migraine-free moments that much more. It’s a lesson in self-awareness and gratitude.