Busted: 10 Migraine Myths

When it comes to migraines, we are bombarded by myths and confounded by misconceptions. These myths aren't just irritating to migraineurs, they confuse the public perception of this disorder, making it harder to live with migraine and impounding an already difficult problem.

These myths increase the stigma of migraine, a stigma which already paints migraineurs as slackers, unable to cope with life; as sickie-throwing, lily-livered weaklings unable to do the grown-up thing, which is (painkiller adverts on the television assure us) to take two Aspirin and get on with it.

What does stigma do to migraineurs?

123 patients of the Jefferson Headache Clinic were assessed on the Stigma Scale for Chronic Illness. Patients with Chronic Migraine (migraine occurring more than 15 days a month) were found to experience more stigma that patients with Episodic Migraine. They also experienced more stigma that patients with other chronic illnesses, such as stroke, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer's or Parkinson's Disease.

Author, Dr. Jung E. Park explains how stigma occurs with migraineurs:

"...co-workers and employers...think the person is trying to get more time off for something unimportant...

A husband felt that things weren't the same when his wife couldn't have sexual intercourse... When something impacts functioning like this, and is not well understood, we tend to stigmatize."

Myth 1: "It's just a bit of a headache."

A migraine will never be diagnosed as "migraine" with no symptoms beside headache. A headache with no other neurological symptoms (such as sensitivity to light, sound, or smell; speech problems, or weakness) may have many causes, but migraine will not be one of them. Headache is only one possible symptom of this neurological disease.

A migraine has four distinct possible stages: prodrome (the initial disturbance) aura (where you may experience visual disturbances), the attack phase (where headache may occur), and postdrome (the aftershock).

Additionally, it's possible for migraines to occur without headache. These migraines are called "acephalgic" (or silent) migraines. These migraines may bring visual disturbance, light and sound sensitivity, nausea, vertigo and confusion, but there is no headache.

Myth 2: "Oh, come on. It's not like it can kill you."

Migraine is linked to a higher risk of stroke, with more than 1,400 migraineur women dying annually with heart disease, compared to those who don't have migraine. Additionally, migraineurs (with aura) are three times more likely to commit suicide, even if they do not have depression.

Myth 3: "Migraine is a white women's disease."

Across all populations (that's how scientists talk about race), women are more likely to experience migraine. A study by Stewart and colleagues (1996) found an average 20.4% migraine-rate in Caucasian women, compared to a 16.2% migraine-rate in African-American women and a 9.4% migraine-rate in Asian-American women. In men, the rate was uniformly lower (but still significant) across all populations, the migraine-rate was 8.6% for Caucasian men, 7.2% for African-American men and 4.2% for Asian American men.

This shows that migraine is far from being the "white woman's" disease it is frequently derided as.

Myth 4: "Children can't get migraine."

Migraine does not only affect adults. 10% of children experience migraine, and one-quarter of these children experience recurrent attacks. Additionally, almost 50% of adult migraineurs had their first attack by their 12th birthday.

READ Do You Suffer From Migraines? Follow These Tips To Lower Your Risk

Myth 5: "People with migraine are high-strung nervous-wrecks who should see a psychiatrist."

Ah, the "migraine personality". Coined by Victorian-trained doctors, who thought migraines were psychosomatic, they decided that migraineurs were high-achieving, as well as "high-strung, perfectionist, anxious worriers". and (though our understanding moved on) the reputation kind of stuck.

More recent research indicates that there is no one type of person who gets a migraine. Unfortunately, we migraineurs may have to give up our high-achieving crown, too: episodic migraineurs are 38% less likely to be employed, less likely to have a higher degree, and less likely to make at least $50,000 a year.

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.