Migraines are one of the most common health disorders affecting the body’s nervous system and lots of research is being done into what exactly causes them. Despite what people might say, it is much more than just a headache!
In fact, migraines can affect the whole body and can result in many symptoms, sometimes without a headache at all. Those who suffer with migraines will understand how challenging, painful and disruptive it can be. Symptoms are different for everyone and many younger children experience their migraines as abdominal pain with no headaches at all. Here are some symptoms and eye opening statistics:
Symptoms
- Headaches
- Nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain
- Visual changes (blind spots, zig-zags, flashing lights, etc)
- Feeling sensitive to light
- Pins and needles
- Tingling or numbness
- Dizziness or vertigo
- Difficulty concentrating
- Slurring or speech problems
Key Statistics
- Migraines affect 1 in 7 people in the UK and are amongst the top 20 disabling lifetime conditions.
- Severe migraine attacks are classified by the World Health Organisation as among the most disabling illnesses, comparable to dementia, quadriplegia and active psychosis
- Migraines are the least publicly funded of all neurological illnesses relative to its economic impact
- In the UK, there are an estimated 190,000 migraine attacks every day
- An estimated 25 million days are lost from work or school because of migraine attacks
- Just over a third (34.3%) of migraine sufferers face difficulties or discrimination at work because of their condition
- Women are more likely to have migraine attacks than men – 18% of women and 8% of men
- Depression is three times more common in people with migraines or severe headaches than in healthy individuals
- Migraines remain undiagnosed and under-treated in at least 50% of patients, and less than 50% of migraine patients consult a physician
Source : Statistics courtesy of MigraineTrust.org Check out our blog into managing migraines in the workplace