Interesting Facts

Since becoming a chronic migraineur, I have learned many interesting things about migraines. Since I feel there are lots of misconceptions and a need for education about migraines, let me share some facts that I feel you should know. Some general information and some quirky facts.

• Migraine is a genetic, neurological disease for which there is no cure.
• 19% of Americans will experience a migraine attack of some kind sometime this year.
• 4% of Americans become chronic, experiencing at least 4 hours of headache per day for 15 days per month (wow, to think of only being in pain half the time and for only 4 hours a day, although I would still be considered chronic, sounds amazing!).
• 9 out of 10 people who self-diagnose a 'sinus headache' most likely have a migraine. Here's why.
• Botox is FDA approved for the treatment of chronic migraine. (Unfortunately, not an effective treatment for me.)
• One of my migraine symptoms is blurred vision where everything is just a little fuzzy. I spent months going back to my eye doctor convinced I had the wrong eye prescription until my neurologist told me this was part of my migraine.
• I get a weird symptom (not as often since I went to the hospital in Michigan in December) where I feel like my hands are ginormous. Like club hands or monster hands. They feel so fat. And I'll be looking at them and watching them typing on the computer, for example, but I have the feeling like they should not be able to type and fit on the keys. This is such a weird feeling! Turns out it's a legitimate migraine with aura symptom: Alice in Wonderland syndrome.
• Migraine disease increases your risk for stroke.
• Over the counter meds (ibuprofen, tylonel, excedrin migraine) cause rebound headache, so don't take them consistently.