Life with Migraine
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…
Read MoreMigraine Behind The Mask: Myth, Truth, Action
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…
Read MoreMen 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…
Read MoreHow 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…
Read MoreThree Things to Know About Going to Therapy with Migraine
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…
Read MoreFostering 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.…
Read MoreBeyond 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?
Read MoreGrowing 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,…
Read MoreFinding 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…
Read MoreManaging Migraine at Work: Strategies for Success
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…
Read MoreMigraine-Friendly Valentine’s Day Gifts
How to show support for people living with migraine as we celebrate this day of love. Valentine’s Day is almost here, which means it’s time to officially celebrate the ones we love (and ourselves)! Unfortunately, many gifts that are traditionally associated with Valentine’s Day can trigger migraine attacks. With a few easy swaps, you can…
Read MoreDo You Have an Individual Exercise Plan?
“I was a marathon runner until my migraine became intractable and chronic daily. I lived to run. It was my physical and psychological outlet. Then…boom…it came to a screeching halt. I began walking, which soon became my lifeline. That is until 2 years ago when I developed vestibular migraine and had 3 serious falls while…
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