migraine Myths
and Facts
Myth 1
Migraine attacks are just really bad headaches.
Myth 2
It’s all in your head.
It’s not a true migraine if it doesn’t start with an aura.
Myth 3
A migraine attack only lasts a couple of hours.
Myth 4
Any doctor can recognize and treat migraine.
Myth 5
Migraine only affects women.
Myth 6
Myth 1: Migraine attacks are just really bad headaches.
The most common and recognizable symptom of migraine
is a severe headache, but people with migraine may experience many other symptoms. Some of the most common include hypersensitivity to lights and sounds, digestive issues and nausea, and dizziness.
People can even experience silent migraine, during which they may experience all of the other symptoms of migraine without any headache.
A special diet can cure migraine.
Myth 7
Many people incorrectly believe that migraine is a psychological disorder caused by stress. While it's true that stress may trigger a migraine episode, it's not the underlying cause. Migraine is caused by a combination of genetic, structural, and chemical changes that make the brain more sensitive to headache triggers, such as stress.
People with migraine are also more likely to report physical and emotional symptoms of anxiety and depression than people without the condition.
Myth 2: It’s all in your head.
Migraine aura refers to a collection of sensory symptoms
that occur just before the onset of a migraine headache, including visual or speech disturbances, numbness or tingling in the hands or face, and muscle weakness. Although many people believe an aura is required for a headache to be considered a true migraine, some estimates suggest only about one-third of people with migraine experience aura, which may not occur with every attack.
Myth 3: It’s not a true migraine
if it doesn’t start with an aura.
The actual headache phase that many people associate
with migraine can be relatively short-lived but may last
up to 3 days in some cases. Some people also experience symptoms before and after migraine headaches that can last anywhere from a few hours to a few days, and others may even have symptoms between migraine attacks. These include tiredness and difficulty concentrating, shifts in mood, and gastrointestinal symptoms like food cravings or nausea.
Myth 4: A migraine attack only lasts a couple of hours.
Some clinicians may not be fully trained on how to recognize
or manage migraine. In a 2020 study, fewer than one in five participants had received an accurate migraine diagnosis.
Only around 9% were receiving appropriate care for their episodic migraine symptoms without medication overuse,
and this dropped to less than 2% for those with chronic migraine. If you're experiencing migraine symptoms that aren’t being properly managed, it may help to connect
with a migraine specialist.
Myth 5: Any doctor can recognize and treat migraine.
During adolescence, women become much more likely
to develop migraine than men. By age 35, women are
three times more likely to have migraine than men. But migraine can affect people of all sexes and genders, and nearly 1 in 13 men experience migraine. Migraine hasn't been well studied in transgender people, but the available research suggests that cis- and transgender women experience migraine at similar rates, and transgender men may be less likely than either group to have migraine.
myth 6: Migraine only
affects women.
Evidence to support using certain diets to reduce migraine symptoms is limited or completely lacking. While avoiding foods known to trigger your migraine episodes can help, research suggests that strict elimination diets don’t generally work and may lead to more serious complications like undernutrition. The American Migraine Foundation recommends eating a diet that's rich in whole grains, fruits and vegetables, and omega-3 fats. Certain supplements,
such as riboflavin (vitamin B2), coenzyme Q10, and magnesium may help with migraine prevention as well.
Myth 7: A special diet
can cure migraine.
More migraine medication will provide better relief.
Myth 8
While instinctively you may think that more medication will provide better pain relief, the opposite is often true for migraine medications you take as needed. Taking too much pain medication can actually lead to worse headache symptoms, most commonly with opioids or triptans.
Around four in five people with medication overuse headaches have migraine as their primary cause of headaches. If your migraine symptoms aren't well managed with your current medication, your doctor may
recommend a different treatment approach rather than increasing your medication dose.
myth 8: More migraine medication
will provide better relief.
8
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