Information for Migraine Sufferers

The first and most important thing for migraine sufferers to know is this: Migraines Are Not Your Fault! If you never thought they were, go ahead and skip to the next paragraph. But if you are one of the millions of people who think they have headaches because they are weak, stupid, incompetent, stressed, female, poor, or anything other than just plain unlucky, this paragraph is for you. With the possible exception of not picking your parents carefully enough, you are, in no way responsible for the fact that you get headaches. Migraine is a genetic disease like asthma or diabetes and it is not a psychological or social condition.

But saying migraines are not your fault, is not to say you cannot control your migraines to the point where they no longer dominate or intrude on your life. Migraine is a chronic disease. At this point, there is no “cure” for migraine, so anyone promising to completely eliminate your headaches is selling snake oil and should remove their hand from your pocket. It is easy to make up a few testimonials and put together a website, but currently, no reputable healthcare provider, be they MD, NP, Chiropractor, or healer should be boasting a “cure.” However, as with other chronic diseases, we are becoming increasingly skilled in managing the condition. This means taking measures to identify the triggers that bring on headaches, modify lifestyle to avoid them, and use medications and other therapeutic modalities to treat headaches when they occur.

It is the rare patient who discovers the “cause” for their headaches. For the overwhelming majority of us, it is a combination of little things like adjusting sleep, eating and exercise or avoiding certain partial triggers that seem to contribute. Migraine changes as we move through life stages and what works at one point may become less effective at another point. Similarly, what did not work in one set of circumstances may become effective when those circumstances change.

The bottom line is that migraine can be managed, but it requires vigilance, openness, attention to detail, awareness of your environment and the help of a knowledgeable, involved, and compassionate team of healthcare providers to gain and maintain control and to evolve the treatment plan as your life evolves. Every migraineur is different and no website will replace a careful history and examination with a qualified headache specialist.