That migraines are a neurological condition/disorder not just a bad headache… especially when holding a conversation with friends about them who have never had one… and you’re coming from the point of view of someone who has chronic migraines…

I think more people should be talking about the need for funding, as migraine is the least funded neurological disease, and the need for more certified headache specialists. It astounds me how little attention this horrible disease gets and that we do most of the fundraising.

That it’s not ‘just a headache’ and it affects my neck shoulders and digestion system also

The fact that a migraine is more than just a headache, it can & does interfere with your life in other ways

@A MyMigraineTeam Member, I bet more people on this social network understand about an intractable headaches more than you realize. I have had a headache my entire life because of a fall in 1963 which gave me an undiagnosed brain injury, but nobody believed me, so I just continued as best as I could. When it turned into migraines, and I was vomiting, then Mom paid attention. She had migraines too, so that part she understood.

As migraine research has picked up the last 2 decades, new theories have picked up too. One that I heard on the World Migraine Summit is that Migraine is a spectrum that puts us in a continuous state. At the low-end, we have milder headaches; at the other end, excruciating pain (9) that can make one unable to move or speak, or unconscious(10). Most of our migraines stay in the middle, fluctuating between horrible pain level 8 and miserable pain level 6. (I know there will be arguments that someone's pain is level 11, but if you are conscious, it's not. Learn the pain scales, stick to them and doctors will treat you with more respect. I promise!) Back to the spectrum... Under this theory, these daily "headaches" make sense! You are just at the lower end of the spectrum. It helps explain why we react to sunlight, noise and perfumes so severely. These aren't "triggers". They're actually our sensitivity to stimuli because we are ALREADY in Migraine. It takes a bit of an attitude shift to grasp this idea of migraine spectrum, but keep the theory in mind as you try to navigate your day and you begin to realize how much sense it really makes.

Since I don't want to track my headaches every single day, I only track migraines at level 5 or higher. I wake every morning with my head pain at level 4-7. I drink a cup of caffinated coffee on mornings it's at 5 or higher. I don't record those. If the coffee doesn't work then, I will start recording it. Getting busy with some minor work that gets my mind off the headache is my next action, if it nags too much or gets worse, I take a Nurtec, or CBD oil and T-Relief. If Nurtec doesn't work, I start my migraine regime.

I'm sure you are like me and you manage to push through your day, functioning as best you can. I spend a LOT of time indoors, but I have learned double sunglasses and wide brimmed hats allow me to walk my dog. HN-95 masks filter most perfumes. Plus, sheers, room darkening curtains and shades make my home safer for me. I'm experimenting with WeatherX earplugs for fighting barometric pressure "headaches", and I've found their weather alerts for sharp increases or decreases in BP to be handy. Advance planning of meals and freezing dinners up for my sick days helps me get through the maze of pain. I hope you are able to manage your "dailies" too. God bless.

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