Life really has been a headache for 55-year-old Teri Robert. The Washington, W. Va., writer and health advocate has had headaches since she was six! But Robert has suffered a particular kind of headache - one that has its own personality, may not respond to over-the-counter painkillers, and impacts greatly on work and play.
"Migraines run in my family," says Robert, who recalls that her mother, grandmother and great-grandmother suffered from the attacks. "I had the pounding headache with noise and light making it worse. And I would be vomiting like crazy," recalls Robert, who writes for www.mymigraineconnection.com. "My father used to come home from work and find me in the closet with a pillow and a blanket because it was quiet and dark in there."
A migraine is a chronic disorder of the central nervous system which presents as a headache that is often moderate to severe, one-sided and lasting from two to 72 hours. It is often accompanied by sensitivity to noise, smell and light; sufferers may also experience nausea and vomiting.
About 3.2 million adult Canadians (14% of the population) have migraine headaches, but only half are likely to have been properly diagnosed by a physician. Migraines, though specific in their symptoms, are often misdiagnosed as sinus or chronic headaches. Women have migraines two to three times more than men.
These are headaches that can erode the quality of life.
In her 40s, when Robert's migraines became chronic, she found herself in bed almost five days a week. "The problem became finding someone who could help me. Over the years, I'd been told everything from, 'It's just a woman's problem.' To 'Get yourself to a psychiatrist!'" When she finally found a neurologist who was also a headache specialist, she worked with him to find a lifestyle approach and drug combination that brought relief.
While over-the-counter painkillers work for some migraines, others need prescription drugs (such as sumatriptan, which relieves symptoms by preventing the dilation of blood vessels in the brain).
There are also preventative medications taken on a daily basis to reduce the frequency and severity of migraines. Robert, who now experiences only one migraine every two or three months, also relies on biofeedback, meditation, vitamin B-2 and Co-enzyme 10 - a holistic approach.
"The biggest misconception about migraines is that they're just headaches," notes Robert. Not only can the attacks be devastating, but some migraine sufferers also experience something called aura (neurologic symptoms such as temporary visual disturbances, flashing or zig-zag lights) before or during migraine attacks. Migraines with aura are associated with an increased risk of heart disease and stroke.
Despite all the challenges of managing migraine, Robert says that improved medications, headache support groups and ongoing neurological research mean that people with migraine should not feel alone. "There is so much you can do today to get control of a migraine," she says. "You really can live well despite it."
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Need more help?
Check these out
headaches.org
mymigraineconncection.com
americanheadachesociety.org
Managing Migraine: A Patient's Guide to Successful Migraine Care, by Drs. Roger Cady, Richard Lipton, Kathleen Farmer, and Marcelo Bigal
Living Well With Migraine Disease and Headaches, by Teri Robert
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DO YOU HAVE A MIGRAINE?
If you have the afollowing symptoms, you may have a migraine
Throbbing pain
Moderate to severe pain on one side of the head
Headaches that include intolerance to light, sound or smell
Headaches that may be accompanied by visual disturbances known as aura
Headaches that lasts from four to 72 hours in length
Possible nausea, even vomiting
