Migraines & managing migraine headaches
Migraines - You may have heard some of the myths concerning migraine headache and the people who suffer from them. What follows are the eight most common myths about migraines...as well as the facts.
Myth: Having migraines is a sign that you have psychological problems.
Fact: Migraine is a biological disorder, not a psychological symptom. Some people with mental health problems may have migraines, but migraine is not the cause or the result of these problems.
Myth: A particular type of person tends to get migraine: hypersensitive, uptight, perfectionist, compulsive.
Fact: Researchers who have intensively studied the personality makeup of migraine sufferers have found no evidence of a "migraine personality." Myth: You bring migraines on yourself. It's all in your head.
Fact: Migraine is a genuine medical disorder -- as real as heart disease, high blood pressure, or diabetes.
Myth: There isn't much you can do about migraines; you just have to learn to live with them.
Fact: Migraine cannot be cured, but in most cases it can be controlled by avoiding identified triggers and treating with medicines available over-the-counter, or those your doctor may prescribe.
Myth: Migraine is so awful, it's got to be a sign of something terribly wrong.
Fact: All of the manifestations of migraine are a temporary response to a biochemical chain of events in the central nervous system. When the biochemical balance returns to normal, the symptoms subside.
Myth: Migraine is just another excuse to leave work early or to miss work altogether.
Fact: Migraine sufferers have a legitimate medical reason to take time off from work for treatment and recovery because the migraine condition has real biological causes and should be recognized as a medical condition.
Myth: Migraines are due to allergies.
Fact: Coincidence is the only link between allergies and migraines. Allergies and headaches are common occurrences. Because some people have both, they assume there is a causal connection.
Myth: The more medication you take for a migraine, the better you'll feel.
Fact: Exceeding the recommended dose of any medication won't provide more relief. Instead, it may create more serious problems.
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