Migraine Myths
Approximately 14 million people suffer from migraines but are not diagnosed. They think that their bad headaches can't be migraines because they believe common migraine myths that doctors know are incorrect. It's important to get the facts straight. It can help your doctor determine if your headaches are migraines and help you get the treatment you need.
| The Myths | The Facts |
|---|---|
| A headache isn’t a migraine because… | |
| If someone has migraines, they just know it. | Fourteen million Americans suffer from migraines but are undiagnosed. Could you be one of them? |
| They aren't severe enough to require bed rest. | Migraines can actually range from mild to severe. So, even if you don't require bed rest, you may still have a migraine. |
| There are no symptoms like nausea or aura (seeing spots or flashing lights). | Not all migraines are accompanied by nausea, and only about 20% are accompanied by aura. So, even if you don't have nausea or aura, you may still have a migraine. |
| There’s pain on both sides of the head. | Migraine pain is most commonly felt on one side of the head. However, the pain can sometimes be felt in many different locations, such as both sides of the head, in the back of the neck, on the face, around the eyes, or in the sinuses. |
| Medicine provides some relief. | If you don't get complete relief, talk to your doctor. Your doctor may find that your headaches are actually migraines. If you are diagnosed with migraines, your doctor can prescribe effective medicines made for migraines. |
| They are triggered by allergies or weather changes, and present pain in the sinus area, like a sinus headache. | Weather changes and allergies can be triggers for migraines. In addition to the traditional symptoms, migraines can be accompanied by other symptoms, such as sinus pain and pressure in the face or around the eyes, stuffy or runny nose, or watery eyes. |
| The headache coincides with a lot of stress, and the pain is in the back of the neck, like a tension headache. | Stress and tension are common triggers for migraines. And migraine pain signals can also be felt in the back of the neck. |
| Women are the only ones that suffer from migraines. | Both men and women can suffer from migraines. Approximately seven million American men suffer from migraines. |
| If a woman always gets headaches with her period, they must be menstrual headaches. | Headaches triggered by a menstrual period are often actually migraines. |
Now that you know the facts, find out the facts about your own headaches.
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