This week is Migraine Awareness Week.
There is a lot of misunderstanding around migraines. It’s not just a headache.
So what is a migraine?
Migraine is a severe and painful long-term health condition. If you have migraine you will have migraine attacks, which can be a whole-body experience.
Symptoms of an attack can include:
- head pain,
- problems with your sight such as seeing flashing lights,
- being very sensitive to light, sounds and smells,
- fatigue,
- feeling sick and being sick.
Different people get different symptoms. When you have a migraine attack, you may not be able to function normally.
Migraine attacks usually last for between four hours and three days. Some symptoms may start about 24 hours before you get head pain, and end about 24 hours after you stop having head pain. Most people don’t have any symptoms in between migraine attacks.
Migraine affects many aspects of a person’s life, their work, education, relationships and mental health
25,000,000It is estimated people in the UK lose a total of 25 million days from their work and education each year because of migraine.
60%Our research found that 60% of people with migraine feel it had significantly impacted on their relationship with their partner or spouse
71%Our research found that 71% of people with migraine feel it has significantly affected their mental health
To learn more about the different stages of migraine, the different types and how to support loved ones with migraine please check out the Migraine Trust.