Migraines pummel over 37 million Americans annually with throbbing cranial pain, nausea, light and sound sensitivity, explains Dr. Matthew Preston, a neurologist and distinguished headache specialist.
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“I used to get horrible migraines that made me miss so much school,” said Kiana W. “The headaches, nausea and sensitivity to light and sound were awful. I felt so alone and like no one understood what I was going through.”
Triggers range from emotional stress to weather changes to fasting, though learning individual triggers aids prevention. Once attacks occur, whether piercing pain lasting hours or unrelenting headaches spanning days, migraines can devastate quality of life.
“Migraines aren’t just a bad headache. They’re often completely disabling, accompanied by nausea, vomiting, sound/light sensitivity,” Preston said. “Work, social life, and family responsibilities become hard.”
Yet addressing migraines is complex, from pinpointing subtype diagnoses to finding individualized treatment and coping methods. Fortunately research continues progressing rapidly, Preston emphasized, with breakthroughs around causes and innovative treatments like newly developed CGRP monoclonal antibodies showing great promise against this devastating disease.
“My migraines started getting worse in high school to the point where I’d be in excruciating pain for days at a time. The medications my doctor prescribed didn’t seem to help. I was desperate for relief and didn’t know where to turn,” shares Madison C.
“Migraines can truly disrupt every aspect of a student’s life. My advice is to find a headache specialist, keep a symptom journal to identify triggers, stay hydrated, get adequate sleep, learn coping techniques like biofeedback meditation, and don’t lose hope. There are more treatment options now than ever and students don’t have to suffer in silence with this illness,” said Dr. Preston.
Migraines disrupt every aspect of life, from work and school to relationships, but continued research brings hope. Identifying individual triggers and effective treatments remains key, as does advocating to decrease stigma. Though challenging to manage, migraines do not have to leave sufferers isolated in misery.