(For one, a mind-numbing ache is only one of a multitude of symptoms.)
The word migraines can be misleading.
Turns out, a single letter can make a big difference when it comes to this condition.
Nhung Le
[My] migraine attacks last daysplural.
Its better to call them attacks, not headaches.
Downplaying the impact of migraine attacks can have real-world ramifications.
I just thought, This isnt something you go to the doctor for.
I equated it with something simple [and] acute.
I had no understanding of what I was dealing with, Gorczyca says.
A lot of people might also feel embarrassed or ashamed of the way they feel.
Thats because, according to Dr. Loder, people with migraine might see their symptoms as a weakness.
This all can contribute to a huge barrier in accessing care, Dr. Starling says.
How you’re free to help.
Supporting someone can be as easy as acknowledging that migraine is more than a headache, Dr. Seng says.
Theres a misconception that attacks are somehow controllable.
If someone is having one, dont say, What did you do?
Are you under any stress?
Did you have too much coffee?
These episodes are due to a lot of factors, and people arerarely triggered by a single thing.
The reality is that a ton of folks push through no matter what, Dr. Seng says.
And yet they have families.
They have jobs and careers and lives.
Basically, it can look superintense to the outside observeror it might look like nothing at all.
(Itsimpossiblefor anyone besides the person with migraine to know.)
It can be helpful to know what triggers someones painand accommodate those situations.
Thats because, again, attacks can be wildly unpredictable.
Simply talking more openly could help, Apfelroth suggests.
Id love for migraine attacks to become as mainstream as cramps or a sinus infection, she says.
(Something Apfelroth also agrees with.)
Being intentional with how you speak about the condition can make a world of difference for someone in pain.
And it doesnt have to be hard!
Using your words to help rather than harm can sometimes be as easy as removing a single letter.
