Busted: More Migraine Myths

Myth 6: "Women get more migraines because they're over-emotional..."

Or because they can't cope with stress, or because they don't feel like sex. If you're a female migraineur, the accusations come thick and fast.

For centuries, female migraineurs were assumed to be suffering some kind of psychological malaise. As Dr. Anne MacGregor, of the British Association for the Study of Headaches, says:

"Bizarrely, the recommended cure was marriage."

Still, women with migraine are seen as depressed, stressed, anxious, and unable to cope with the realities of life. The stereotyped image of the migraineur doesn't help: hiding in a dark room (photophobia), asking for quiet (phonophobia), and looking pale and sickly (nausea). While retreating to a darkened room helps with our migraines, it increases the perception that migraineurs can't cope.

The perception is untrue, however. Regardless of the gender, migraine is a neurological condition. The cause is unknown, although it is believed the neurotransmitters dopamine and serotonin have a role to play.

Myth 7: "It can't be the same migraine. No headache lasts more than a day."

Most migraine attacks last between 4 and 72 hours. A study of standard migraines found that, while 65.6% of migraineurs recover within 24 hours, a further 34.4% take up to 72 hours.

However, some patients experience migraines that last more than 72 hours. Status Migraine is a debilitating migraine condition, which lasts consistently for at least 72 hours, and raises your risk of stroke.

Myth 8: "It's not migraine, if you don't have aura."

Migraine without aura is a neurological disorder in which you don't have visual disturbance, but have other symptoms of migraine, including:

• Throbbing pain on one side of your head
• Light sensitivity (photophobia)
• Sound sensitivity (phonophobia)
• Sensitivity to smell (osmophobia)
• Nausea/vomiting

Myth 9: "Migraines are caused by eating bad things."

It's true that some migraines may be caused by eating foods high in tyramine (chocolate; rich cheeses, and red wine). However, that's not the full story. Other foods linked to migraine are nothing to do with tyramine. Additives such as artificial sweeteners and colourings, too much caffeine, and allowing your blood glucose levels to go too low and too high are also linked to migraine.

Many other triggers (such as weather changes, strong smells and bright lights) are nothing at all to do with diet.

READ Headaches: Home and Natural Remedies for Migraine

Myth 10: "If you've got a migraine, all you can do is take two Aspirin and shut up about it."

That is not true. There is a whole world of effective medications out there to both prevent and treat migraine. If over-the-counter painkillers don't work for you, talk to your doctor.

Your doctor could prescribe:

• Stronger painkillers (especially for infrequent migraines)
• Migraine specific abortives (such as triptans, which restrict the flow of blood to the head and reduce the pain)
• Migraine preventatives (such as beta-blockers, antidepressants, and anticonvulsants).

I hope we've busted some of those pesky migraine myths.

If you know a migraineur, go and give them a hug.

And if you are a migraineur, treat yourself to something nice. People are rarely as understanding as they might be. Try to be patient.