Migraine: A Neurological Condition That's Not Just in Your Head

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Everyone gets headaches from time to time, but migraines are different. For an estimated 15% to 18% of women and 6% of men with migraine, they endure not just intense pain in their head but also nausea; an inability to tolerate light, noise, or odors; confusion; overwhelming fatigue, and more—to the point that they are unable to keep working or be present with family and friends. This inability to function separates migraines from headaches. The good news is that knowledge about them and treatments for them have increased exponentially to the point that most migraine sufferers are able to enjoy meaningful relief that allows them to go about their lives in a fairly normal way. Doctors may prescribe medications, behavioral treatments and lifestyle changes, and even electrical stimulation devices. Learning to distinguish warning signs of an impending migraine from what have traditionally been called “triggers” can greatly improve someone’s ability to manage these episodes. “The understanding of migraine biology and the treatments available have exploded in the last decade; with proper education, consistent use of the tools available can improve the lives of most migraine patients,” says Christopher Gottschalk, MD, a Yale Medicine neurologist and director of Yale Medicine's Headache and Facial Pain Center. “Unfortunately, migraine remains underdiagnosed, undertreated, and underestimated—according to reports, migraine causes more disability than all other neurological conditions combined. But learning to identify the early signs of a migraine attack and intervene quickly and effectively can provide patients with a level of control they never thought was possible,” he says.