The Privilege Of Being Able-Bodied: Life With Migraine

A change in my healthcare plan suddenly made me aware of the privilege of being able-bodied! I work in people management, and have for the last half-decade of my life. I’ve always been big on communication and leading with empathy. Traits that, in my opinion, are invaluable to any role where you work with other…

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Migraine Behind The Mask: Myth, Truth, Action

Abstract artwork showing close up of faces with migraine

Myth – Truth – ACTION! Every year in June, Migraine and Headache Awareness Month (MHAM), people with migraine and other headache disorders come together to raise awareness about these debilitating diseases. The 2024 MHAM theme is Myth, Truth, ACTION. For our annual awareness project, Migraine Behind the Mask, members of the Migraine Meanderings community volunteer…

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Men Get Migraine, Too! Let’s Celebrate Dads With Migraine

It’s Father’s Day, and today we want to celebrate all the dads out there. Especially those who have migraine disease, are parenting a child with migraine disease, or maybe both. Migraine is often considered a “women’s disease.” It’s true that women are two to three times more likely than men to have migraine. However, men…

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How To Stay Connected With Others While Managing Migraine

Do you find it hard to stay connected with others while managing your migraine disease? Having migraine can be incredibly isolating. We often stop attending social events and family gatherings. We even avoid leaving the house for errands or doctor appointments. Why? Because we know that the outside world is full of migraine triggers we…

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Three Things to Know About Going to Therapy with Migraine

Woman talking to another woman holding a clipboard

Living with migraine, we often spend a lot of time caring for our physical health. We go to doctors’ appointments, take supplements and medications, try physical therapy and exercises, and maintain certain diets. But caring for our mental health is also an important, and yet often overlooked, piece of a well-rounded treatment plan. May is…

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Fostering Empathy in a Migraine-Filled Relationship

How Can We Foster Empathy in a Migraine-Filled Relationship? Do either you or your partner suffer from migraine attacks, or perhaps even both of you? It’s not uncommon, given that over 42 million live with migraine in the US alone. Like any physical or mental disability, migraine can bring a new layer to your relationship.…

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Insurance Delays and Denials Impact Patient Access to Migraine Treatment

How Insurance Barriers Impact Migraine Treatment Access Migraine is a complex neurological disease that affects more than 42 million people in the United States alone. Approximately 5 million people in the US have chronic migraine, meaning they have 15 migraine/headache days a month or more. Migraine disease is so much more than “just a headache.”…

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Beyond Medication: Sleep and the Migraine Brain

If ever there was a tale of a complicated relationship, it is the story of sleep and the migraine brain. Get too much sleep, and you will likely trigger an attack. Get too little, and you are also likely to trigger an attack. Feel tired and take a nap, and yet again that can trigger an attack. Fatigue is a highly common and debilitating symptom among those with migraine, and yet many report migraine wakes them up and is the cause of not getting enough sleep. To complicate matters even more, for many, sleep is often the only thing that relieves the pain of a bad attack, and getting quality sleep at night has been shown to reduce head pain. So how do we navigate this ever so complicated relationship?

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Growing Up With a Disabled Parent: Empathy or Resentment?

It would be an understatement to say that it’s difficult growing up with a parent who struggles with a disability. It changes the way you view your parents, friends, and even your own health at times. In this two-part series, I’ll examine how this impacts different parts of a child’s life. In this first part,…

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Finding Answers: Taking Control of Chronic Migraine  

Managing migraine day-to-day requires constant effort, no matter how long you’ve lived with migraine disease. People with chronic migraine – defined as a minimum of 15  migraine/headache days per month – may find this especially challenging. Not everyone has access to a certified migraine specialist. Very few people with chronic migraine receive a proper diagnosis and…

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Managing Migraine at Work: Strategies for Success

Woman sitting at desk in office with migraine

According to the American Headache Society, nearly 113 million workdays are lost each year due to migraine. The work environment can be full of migraine triggers that we cannot control. So what is the best way to manage migraine at work? Identify Migraine Triggers at Work The first step in preventing and/or reducing migraine at…

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Migraine Comorbidities: Heart Health and Women With Migraine PART 2

The comorbid connection between migraine and cardiovascular disorders has been established for many decades. For example, we know that people who experience migraine with aura are about twice as likely to have an ischemic stroke,[1] and many people with migraine experience palpitations and other cardiovascular symptoms, especially during attacks. To complicate matters, some types of migraine (e.g. hemiplegic) have similar symptoms to a stroke, such as disorientation, vision changes, vertigo, and speech changes.

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