Approximately 14 million people suffer from migraines, but are not diagnosed. They think that their bad headaches can’t be migraines because they believe common migraine myths that doctors know are incorrect. It’s important to get the facts straight. It can help your doctor determine if your headaches are migraines and help you get the treatment you need.
Myth 1: If they were migraines, I’d know it.
Fact 1: 14 million Americans suffer from migraines but are undiagnosed. Could you be one of them?
Myth 2: Migraines aren’t severe enough to require bed rest.
Fact 2: Migraines can actually range from mild to most severe. So even if you don’t require bed rest, you could be having migraines.
Myth 3: I don’t have symptoms like nausea or aura (seeing spots or flashing lights), so I can’t be suffering from migraine.
Fact 3: Not all migraines are accompanied by nausea. Only 20% of migraines are accompanied by aura. So, even if you don’t have nausea or aura, you may still have a migraine.
Myth 4: I have pain on both sides of my head, so it can’t be migraine.
Fact 4: Migraine pain can be felt in many different locations, such as one or both sides of the head, in the back of the neck, on the face, around the eyes, or in the sinuses.
Myth 5: I get some relief from the medicines I take, so I’ll be okay.
Fact 5: If you don’t get complete relief, talk to your doctor. Your doctor may find that your headaches are actually migraines. Migraine-specific medicine may offer complete relief.
Myth 6: My headaches are triggered by allergies or weather changes and I can feel them in my sinuses, so they must be sinus headaches.
Fact 6: Weather changes and allergies can be triggers for migraines. Migraines can be accompanied by other symptoms, such as sinus pain and pressure in the face or around the eyes, stuffy or runny nose, or watery eyes.
Myth 7: I have a lot of stress and I can feel the pain in the back of my neck, so I have tension headaches.
Fact 7: Stress and tension are common triggers for migraines. And migraine pain signals can also be felt in the back of the neck.
Myth 8: I always get them with my period, so they must be menstrual headaches.
Fact 8: Headaches triggered by your menstrual period are often actually migraines.