BENGALURU: There are many myths about migraine, which is a chronic disease. These myths not only foster a misunderstanding of this neurological disease, but can also be demoralising to patients. Here are some common myths one might harbour about the condition:
Myth #1: It is just a headache
A headache is only one symptom. Migraines are often associated with nausea, sensitivity to light, sound and strong odour, difficulty concentrating, vertigo, and neurological problems such as visual disturbances, numbness, speech and language impairment, weakness or even fainting in some.
Myth #2: Migraines don’t last for days
The ‘typical’ migraine lasts from 4 to 72 hours. Unfortunately, some people do have
migraines daily.
Myth #3: Only women have migraines
Even though women are three times more likely to have a migraine, men suffer from migraines as well. 18- 20 per cent of women and 8-10 per cent of men suffer from migraine, most are never diagnosed.
Myth #4: Only adults have migraine
Children as young as five years can experience migraine headache, often with abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, irritability, episodic confusion, severe dizziness,fatigue, lack of concentration, fainting spells etc.
Myth #5: I don’t have migraines because my headache is not on one side
Migraine can be one sided or involve the whole head or even back of head and neck, sometimes in the face too. 50 per cent of patients with migraine do not have vomiting during every episode and 80 per cent don’t have any aura. Aura (visual or sensory symptoms) occur in only 20 per cent of migraine sufferers and sometimes with only some episodes of headache, but not all.
Myth #6: I don’t have migraines; I have a ‘sinus headache’
Sinusitis can cause pain in front of the head and side of the nose with yellowish discharge from the nose and often with fever. Migraine headache is mistaken for sinus headache because of its location, tenderness on pressure in these regions, nasal stuffiness, redness of eyes (all of which can occur in migraine), and an abnormal sinus X-rays . So called ‘sinus medications’ help relieve migraine headache too thus perpetuating the belief that it is a sinus headache.
Myth #7. Daily painkillers don’t help
Nonspecific pain killers (Aspirin, Paracetamol,Ibuprofen etc) may relive relieve your infrequent headache, taking the pain killers everyday will only make it only worse by producing ‘medication overuse headache’ so called Analgesic Rebound headache.
Myth #8. Nothing can be done about migraines
There are many preventive medications for reducing the frequency and severity of migraine. They have to be taken regularly for several months, sometimes years.
The author is a senior consultant neurologist and clinical director –Department of Neurosciences, Narayana Health City, Bangalore