Statistics & Facts

Not many people know much about what a headache/migraine is, but what I personally can tell you is that a migraine is pretty different from a headache. You have more severe symptoms and many other things. I am going to share with you some statistics that I found that will help you gain a little more knowledge. 

First I will start out with a basic definition then work up from there.

Headache:  pain in head:  a pain in the head lasting for some time caused by changes in pressure in the blood vessels leading to and from the brain.
So a headache is just basically a pain that you receive in your head, you don't get auras, nausea, light/sound sensitive (usually). 
Migraine: a throbbing headache usually affecting only one side of the head and commonly accompanied by nausea and visual disturbances. 
Also followed by auras, light and sound sensitivity. 
Aura: Vision disturbances, or aura, are considered a "warning sign" that a migraine is coming. The aura occurs in both eyes and may involve any or all of the following:

• A temporary blind spot
• Blurred vision
• Eye pain
• Seeing stars or zigzag lines
• Tunnel vision

Other warning signs include yawning, difficulty concentrating, nausea, and trouble finding the right words.

Not every person with migraines has an aura. Those who do usually develop one about 10 - 15 minutes before the headache. However, an aura may occur just a few minutes to 24 hours beforehand. A headache may not always follow an aura.

Migraine headaches can be dull or severe. The pain may be felt behind the eye or in the back of the head and neck. For many patients, the headaches start on the same side each time. The headaches usually:

• Feel throbbing, pounding, or pulsating
• Are worse on one side of the head
• Start as a dull ache and get worse within minutes to hours
• Last 6 - 48 hours

Other symptoms that may occur with the headache include:

• Chills
• Increased urination
• Fatigue
• Loss of appetite
• Nausea and vomiting
• Numbness, tingling, or weakness
• Problems concentrating, trouble finding words
• Sensitivity to light or sound
• Sweating

STATS: In the U.S., more than 37 million people suffer from migraines. Some migraine studies estimate that 13 percent of adults in the U.S. population have migraines, and 2-3 million migraine suffers are chronic.

Almost 5 million in the U.S. experience at least one migraine attack per month, while more than 11 million people blame migraines for causing moderate to severe disability.

Migraines occur most often in:

• Women (18 percent of women compared to 6 percent of men)
• People between the ages of 35 and 55
• Lowest income groups
• Caucasian people

More Migraine Statistics

• 91 percent miss work or can’t function normally during migraine attack
• More than 70 percent have a family history of migraine
• 70 percent of those in a Canadian study said migraines caused problems in their relationships
• 70 percent of all migraine sufferers are women
• 69 percent have consulted a physician at some time seeking treatment for migraine pain
• 63 percent have one or more migraine attacks monthly
• 59 percent missed family or social events
• 53 percent have severe disability requiring reducing activities or bed rest
• 51 percent said migraines cut in half their work or school productivity
• Almost half of all migraine sufferers are have not been diagnosed
• 49 percent said they had to restrict activities for at least one day during a migraine episode
• 49 percent restricted their activities at least one day during migraine attacks
• 47 percent of people who have symptoms that meet the guidelines to be diagnosed with migraines thought they had a tension headache, sinus headache or another type of headache
• 31 percent missed at least one day of work or school in past three months
• 25 percent have one or more migraines a week
• 24 percent have gone to the emergency room because the migraine pain was so severe
• 6 percent saw a doctor at a hospital for a migraine in the past three months

What does a migraine look like?

thank you for taking some time to read over my blog. I love sharing this information and keeping everyone updated and helping them gain new knowledge. I will continue to share more. 

RESOURCES:   

• www.google.com/search
• www.google.com/images
• www.dictionary.com
• www.migraine.com