Headache or Migraine? A name says so much!

3/21/07 3:08pm

You go girl!! I do NOT have headaches. I have MIGRAINE DISEASE and that is how I tell everyone. i also tell them that the "headache" is one symptom of the disease and there are many others and that i also have NON-headache symptoms of this disease that i live with, routinely.There are a lot of people that know that I am "having problems with migraines". No see, i have a chronic genetic neurological disorder that surfaced at age 7 which I work to manage. It isn't curable (yet).It's chronic.It is in my brain everyday, because my brain is in my head every day.Sometimes, it is in a very active state which may cause intense pain in my head or may cause me to slur my speech like I have novacain in my lips and tongue, but my head doesn't hurt. It's a disease, with many parts. The main part being ME.... the person who is living with it, managing it, glad there are "Teri''s out there now to get mad, speak up and speak out, and educate. I didn't have ANYONE those manyyears ago when i was 7, just bottle of davocet and an ice pack.

Teri Robert, Health Guide

3/21/07 3:23pm

Kenkay,

You're very welcome; and thank you. :-)

You paint a very vivid picture in your comment, and I'm sure you're a wonderful advocate for all of us. Thank you so much for posting.

Did you know we also have a discussion forum? If you're interested, go to the orange "Manage" box and click on "Migraine Forums."

with a hug,
Teri

Leeloo

3/22/07 1:55am

My kids at work know that when I am "flaky" as they like to call me, that I am having an episode.

The pain is sometimes secondary to the other symptoms; the confusion and dizziness and screwed-up speech can all be more debilitating some days.

I catch myself saying "headache" all the time too, I guess, because a lot of people can relate to head pain at one point or another. Maybe not so much the other symptoms--but I find there has been more sympathy to "let me be" when I say headache as opposed to attack. Unfortunately it is sometimes what I have to do to get rowdy youngsters to back off because it is difficult to explain migraine disease. This doesn't make it right, but I can't pull everyone aside and explain the disease either--and when I have a moment to explain myself to those who seem to want to understand I get the run-of-the-mill "maybe you should see a chiropractor," "maybe you should relax a little," etc. So I feel at a loss as to what I should do or say, especially when I feel the majority don't take it seriously anyway.

My husband also understands migraine more in terms of the pain factor because he's had to take me to the ER and take care of me during an episode. Getting him to understand that I am having other significant problems is sometimes a struggle too.

Does anyone have any suggestions?

Anonymous

3/22/07 9:41am

I Could not have written it any better. So many people have said..."Can't you take something for that!" They see a commercial for migraine meds and think that's the cure all for everyone! I wish.
Michelle

Angst

3/25/07 12:47am

What happens when you're not sure if it's a migraine or a headache; if your suffering doesn't hit enough of the migraine "symptoms"; if it changes all the time? Does that make it any less disabling? Does it change the fact that you are in pain, that your concentration, energy, and concentration levels are affected, that it has a major effect on your mood 24/7? Does it mean that because I don't have "migraine disease" that I don't belong on this board? Not everyone fits right in one category or the other... life's not black and white.

Sorry, I don't mean to sound cross or anything, I'm just a little frustrated.

Teri Robert, Health Guide

3/25/07 1:04am

Jennster,

The name of the site is MyMigraineConnection, but we deal with both Migraine disease AND headaches. It can be difficult at times to tell whether it's a Migraine or a headache, but plenty of us have both. It can be important to find ways to tell one from another because the treatments can be very different.

For example, I need to figure out if I'm having a headache or a Migraine because I'll take a pain killer for a headache, but a triptan for a Migraine, and if I take the triptan too late, it won't work.

It varies, but many people can tell if it's a headache or a Migraine by sitting down then bending and putting their heads between their knees. A Migraine is usually made worse by this, but a headache usually isn't.

Some headache disorders other than Migraine disease can be very disabling indeed. I wasn't meaning that they weren't. But I do think it's better not to say "headache" when we have a Migraine.

I'm sorry about your frustration and can sympathize. If you can't tell if you're having a headache or Migraine, how do you treat it? Have you talked with your doctor about this?

Listen, if you need some support, please join us on the forum too. Look in the orange box to your left that has the "Manage" header and click the "Migraine Forum" link.

take care,
Teri

GWP

3/27/07 12:26pm

There are plenty of folks I've told I have "Migraines" over the years. I've learned to always say "Migraine attack." If I think its a tension-type, I may identify my pain is that.

My latest explanation for not being able to work or commit to anything reliably is that "I have a central nervous system thing. I never know when it's going to act up." I've only used it a few times, but it works pretty well.

Folks who know I've got migraine disease often ask, "don't they know what's causing them?" I usually respond, "There's so much we don't understand about the brain..." That works pretty well.

Thanks Teri, for being such a strong advocate and educator.

Gretchen

Anonymous

3/27/07 5:18pm

Yes I was wondering if some people feel the need to say the word headache when seeking treatment instead of migraine as they may get taken more seriously and feel that the doctor will be less likely to see them as "neurotic" and therefore we won't treat. Also some people are never able to get a referral to someone who can look at them properly and diagnose whether they have migraines or not.

I know that my migraines were diagnosed as atypical migraines by the neurologist I saw as they are apparently a cross between a tension headache and migraine.

shrinkgirl

4/ 1/07 4:32pm

With my head pain, I really can't tell sometimes. I've been prone to headaches most of my life, and my ENT and my neuro tell me that these headaches should have been diagnosed as a form of migraine many years ago. But I don't have any of the classic symptoms, save the periodic pulsating head pain. But one thing I know for sure is that I now have a chronic neurological disorder of some kind. Having daily headaches is not normal. Not being able to eat processed food or engage in cardiovascular exercise without head pain is not normal. Not getting relief from a wide variety of pain meds is also not normal. Sometime last year, the wiring in my brain seems to have short circuited, and my headaches became chronic, and I became hypersensitive to things that never used to bother me before. At least not so much that I noticed.

So even if it's *not* a migraine, it's not *just* a headache, either. And it is really hard to explain to people sometimes.

Jamie

4/ 2/07 1:54pm

Is constandly reminding the same people over and over again that it's "Not JUST a headache."

Anonymous

4/ 2/07 3:45pm

When I went for my mri this morning the woman doing the mri asked me why I was having it done.I said for migraine.

She just looked at me,I said "I get migraine attacks,passing out,dry heaving....She said,oh,in a sympathetic way.

Once,I said migraine attacks,her face got that got it look.

Anonymous

4/24/07 7:09pm

I could not have put it better myself! I have had Migraine Disease and I am only 27! People at work, while they joke with me about know that if I am at work with my sunglasses on then I have a migraine and the are extra careful not to slam drawers or be too loud. Thank goodness for that!

One thing that you didn't mention was the after affects once the Migraine is gone. For the next 12-24 hours, depending on the severity of the Attack, I am not quite with it, which is one of my symptoms.

Also, at both my Neurologist and PCP's advice, I did stop the oral contraceptives and got a Copper IUD, which was painful to get, I haven't had children but it seems to help, my Attacks went from 12-15 a month to about 8. Doesn't seem like much to other people but to people who know, it is a HUGH improvement! Thanks!

Stacie, Richmond

4/24/07 7:11pm

I could not have put it better myself! I have had Migraine Disease for 15 yearsand I am only 27! People at work, while they joke with me about know that if I am at work with my sunglasses on then I have a migraine and the are extra careful not to slam drawers or be too loud. Thank goodness for that!

One thing that you didn't mention was the after affects once the Migraine is gone. For the next 12-24 hours, depending on the severity of the Attack, I am not quite with it, which is one of my symptoms.

Also, at both my Neurologist and PCP's advice, I did stop the oral contraceptives and got a Copper IUD, which was painful to get, I haven't had children but it seems to help, my Attacks went from 12-15 a month to about 8. Doesn't seem like much to other people but to people who know, it is a HUGH improvement! Thanks!

Anonymous

4/27/07 9:25pm

I've always tried to tell people that there are a difference between a head and a migraine. But I guess until they have one themselves they will never understand. Now I know to say Migraine Attack and not just plain Migraine. That makes complete sence to me! Thank you for writing this in Plain English that we could understand!

Julie Diaz

6/28/07 8:04am

I applaud this article, the advice and the approach. I have "tension headaches" that are very disabilitating because they feel like a strong rubber band is squeezing my brain night and day for several weeks in a row (sometimes up to three weeks) and narcotic pain releivers don't even help. People have a misconception that if I just relax, I won't get a headache. I am a super relaxed and easy going person. I wish we had another name for my disease. Also when describing pain on a pain scale...I realize it is important to be realistic in order to gain the most help and support from the doctor. To aid me in this I use a mental disability guide...for example a ten would mean that I had to call for an ambulance or 911. A eight would be that I looked on-line for symptoms of a stroke. A seven would be that I had to leave work or stay home from work. A six means that I had to increase pain meds and had to lay down with an ice pack upon getting home from work. By associating your physical ability with your pain threshold can give you a better idea of a "pain number" which can be relative and unique to each person. It makes something that is very abstract and makes it easier to define because it is all about how pain affects the daily functioning and quality of our lives.

Please don't post my email

Teri Robert, Health Guide

6/28/07 11:22am

Julie,

Thank you for your comment. It's a pity that anyone in pain runs into such problems. Part of it is probably that there are no diagnostic tests to confirm these disorders and they're "invisible." There's no open wound, no broken bones.

I like the way you do your pain assessment. Thanks for sharing it.

Teri
PS: Your email address is never shown when you post a comment.

Trickey

1/ 5/08 5:44pm

I hate when I tell people I am haing a migraine attack and they say, " Oh I get those too, that excedrine migraine works great have you tried it?" I tell them if 2 tylenol work for you then you have a headache not a migraine. If OTC stuff worked for me then why would I fork out hundereds of $$'s a month for stuff that makes my legs feel weird and my chest tight? People are surprised when I tell them I barely ever have headaches but I have migraine attacks at least 5 times a month. I suffer from a disease not a headache.....

MS

11/ 3/10 6:54pm

I suffered from migraines for years before someone told me to try chiropractic. My migraines were so severe that I was forced to lay bedridden for days. I saw doctors who prescribed pills and injections. Some gave me temporary relief, while most of them were ineffective. Seeing a chiropractor was the best medical decision I’ve ever made. It’s affordable, safe, and keeping me migraine free. I swear by chiropractic and would recommend it to anyone who suffers from migraines.

Headache or Migraine? A name says so much!

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