7 Things You Should Know About Migraine
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I wish I didn’t know quite so much about migraine. I am not a headache specialist; my degree is in law, not medicine. As a person with migraine, I have found that arming myself with knowledge helps me stay strong and fight this often debilitating disease. I wish I didn’t have to know so much about migraine, but this is the hand I was dealt, and I will do what it takes to live my life. I wanted to pass on what I’ve learned in the decade since my episodic migraine became chronic.
1. Migraine is not a Typical Headache
Nearly everyone has an occasional headache. However, migraine is not a typical headache; it is a neurological disorder. Head pain is only one migraine symptom, with many other uncomfortable, debilitating symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, dizziness, light and sound sensitivity, and more. In fact, some people with migraine don’t even have head pain as a migraine symptom. Referring to migraine as a headache perpetuates the migraine stigma and belittles the nature of the disorder. Proper migraine language can help reduce migraine stigma. The word “migraines” sounds like “headaches.” Instead, experts use ‘migraine disease’ and ‘migraine attack’ to intentionally underline the seriousness of migraine disease and encourage others to follow.
2. Migraine Exists on a Spectrum
Migraine is a spectrum disorder. While some people experience one migraine attack per month, others may have daily attacks. According to ICHD-3, people with episodic migraine experience fewer than 15 headache days per month. Chronic migraine is defined as headache on 15 or more days per month for more than three months, with migraine features on at least eight of those days. There are some people who never get relief from migraine symptoms.
Migraine symptoms also vary in severity and disability among individuals. So not all people with migraine can truly understand the disability experienced by others. No matter where you are on the spectrum, migraine can be very debilitating. People with episodic and chronic migraine need to focus on our shared goal of seeking treatments that work and finding community support. If you want a safe space to connect with others who understand, exchange information, and feel supported, join our Parenting With Migraine Facebook support group.
3. Migraine is Genetic
Here is an overwhelming statistic from the Cleveland Clinic, “Up to 80% of people who get migraine headaches have a first-degree relative with the disease.” Do you have a family member with migraine disorder? That is definitely the case in my family. My grandma is 93 and has told me how migraine disease has impacted her throughout most of her life. While my mom did not inherit migraine, my aunt and two cousins did.
Migraine has a strong genetic component, so it can also be passed on to your children. According to the National Headache Foundation, if one parent has migraine, a child has a 50% chance of inheriting it. If both parents have migraine, that chance increases to 75%. However, inheritance is complex, and having a parent with migraine does not mean a child will definitely develop the disease.
Symptoms in children look different than those of adults and may include head pain, abdominal pain, loss of appetite, pale skin color, nausea and vomiting, dizziness, and more. If you are worried about what this genetic disorder could mean for your kids, Migraine At School is a wealth of great information about migraine symptoms in kids, getting a diagnosis, and advocating for your child.
4. Neck Pain is a Common Migraine Symptom
Many people don’t realize that neck pain is a common migraine symptom. In a 2024 study, 68.3% of people with migraine reported neck pain with head pain. Neck pain can occur before, during, and after a migraine attack.
According to Dr. Rashmi Halker Singh, a neurologist at Mayo Clinic, neck pain as a migraine symptom is “actually much more frequent than nausea.” This may explain why people sometimes believe their neck pain triggered an attack when it may actually be an early migraine symptom.
I can certainly relate because I have lived with migraine and neck pain for over 25 years. Unfortunately, severe neck pain is one of my first migraine symptoms, even before head pain begins. I love this neck and shoulder heating pad and use it to help soothe my neck pain during migraine attacks.
5. Your Sinus Headache May Actually be Migraine
While we’re on the subject of obscure but all-too-common migraine symptoms, add sinus headache to the list. A true sinus headache is rare and happens when someone has a sinus infection, with symptoms of thick nasal discharge, facial pain or pressure, reduced sense of smell, and sometimes fever. According to the American Migraine Foundation, “studies show that about 90% of self-diagnosed sinus headaches are actually migraine.” Wow! That is shocking, but with migraine being such a misunderstood disease, it’s easy to see how this symptom could be misdiagnosed!
Nasal congestion and watery eyes are actually common migraine symptoms. Some people may incorrectly mistake these symptoms for sinus problems. Don’t label your head pain as “sinus headaches” without getting evaluated by a specialist and ruling out migraine. (I’m talking to you, husband).
6. There is More to Migraine Treatment than Medication
We all wish there was a magic pill that would help us get relief, but often the reality is that the “magic pill” thinking can cause more harm than good (more on that later). There is no cure for migraine, but a personalized, multimodal treatment plan may help reduce the frequency, severity, and disability associated with attacks.
Here are a few things I do in addition to preventive medication to manage my migraine disease:
Nerve blocks
Trigger point injections
Botox (Read about my Botox for Migraine experience)
Neuromodulation device (I LOVE my CEFALY). Get 15% OFF with code: parentingwithmigraine
Supplements - I take magnesium. Get a discount through FullScript Dispensary.
Eat meals at consistent times and other lifestyle changes (Read about S.E.E.D.S.)
Use loop earplugs and AirPods to help with sound sensitivity
Wear Avulux glasses during a migraine attack or when working on the computer. Get $25 OFF with code: parentingwithmigraine
Ice therapy with products like TheraICE.
Will all of these things work for you? Maybe or maybe not. Every person is different, and there’s no one-size-fits-all approach. My advice is to keep an open discussion with your neurologist or headache specialist and keep trying to find what works best for you. These treatments may look different than expected, especially to people who unhelpfully suggest you take “Tylenol for your headache.” They also take a lot of trial and error to find the right combination. But they can help me live a life with less pain, which is truly magical.
7. Using Acute Medication Too Often Can Lead to Medication-Overuse Headache
As I mentioned above, there is no “magic pill” for migraine. But did you know that certain migraine medications and pain relievers can contribute to medication-overuse headache when taken too frequently, even if you are taking them for something unrelated to migraine, like back pain? Those days still count toward medication-overuse limits. I’ll give you a minute to let that sink in.
Yes, the medications we take to feel better can sometimes start contributing to more headache days instead. How much is too much depends on the medication, so this is an important conversation to have with your headache specialist or neurologist.
Personally, I seem to develop medication-overuse headache easily, so I try to rely on my drug-free treatments whenever I can. If you think you may be stuck in this cycle, talk with your doctor before reducing or stopping any medication because some need to be tapered. I have had to work through medication overuse several times. It was not easy, but I felt much better afterward.
The More You Know
The more awareness there is of migraine disorder, the more understanding we can receive from others, the more funding will go towards finding effective treatments, and the less migraine stigma we will experience. There is no cure for migraine, but there is hope and there are treatment options. The more you know, the more tools you have at your disposal to fight and gain control over your life. My journey through chronic migraine has been a rollercoaster, but I’ve also been proud and grateful to turn my pain into something that helps people. If you have questions about my experience, please reach out! The best places to find me are on Instagram or our Parenting With Migraine Facebook Support Group.
Did you learn anything from this list? What do you think people should know about migraine?
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