If you or anyone you know has suffered from a migraine, this article may be relative to you or them. At 20 years old, I began suffering from migraines multiple times a week. I become inoperable, I shut down and it becomes impossible for me to function. I created this list to show the world what can occur when one has a migraine and to help migraine sufferers join together in their pain. It isn't funny suffering from a migraine, but maybe laughing at a few items on this list will give you some momentary relief!
1. It feels great to have a migraine-free day.
It’s amazing to experience a "good day" -- a day free from pain, sensitivity, and being completely uncomfortable. After experiencing migraines day in and day out, you learn to appreciate a regular good day for exactly what it is.
2. Migraines ≠ Headaches
We’ve all had that one friend or co-worker that just cannot comprehend the amount of pain a migraine actually puts you through. The phrase, “I don’t understand what’s wrong with her, it’s just a headache,” is one that I have heard too many times to count. Migraines are not simply a stronger headache, there is so much more to a migraine.
3. Advice is welcome, but we're used to it.
I love when people are always stretching their hand out to help me. But sometimes, advice doesn’t help one bit. That trick that worked for your aunt’s migraines may not work for mine, or maybe it will. We really do appreciate all the help everyone tries to give us, but as often as we get migraines, we've probably tried every single remedy out there that we've ever heard of. We thank you for trying to help us, though.
4. If it’s your time of the month, double whammy.
Most migraine sufferers notice a direct correlation between migraines and their menstrual period. This really sucks because not only do we have to worry about mood swings, being cranky, cramps, and all the other crap that comes along with periods, but then throw a migraine on top of it and we’re dead.
5. There is no pain to compare migraine pain to.
Migraine pain is indescribable. There can be pounding in your temples, pain in between your eyes, pain in your eye sockets, pain in the back of your head, nose, neck, anything. It is so hard to describe what a migraine actually feels like. So if you have never had one, just consider yourself blessed.
6. Yawning does not mean that I am tired, and my eyes watering doesn’t mean that I am crying.
Many times migraines can cause excessive yawning. Some days I will wake up with a migraine after a full night’s sleep and still yawn all day long. After yawning, my eyes usually water. I can’t get them to stop. So all day it looks like I am tired and I am crying, which I might not be (although I might want to be asleep and/or crying).
7. Nausea and migraines come hand-in-hand (most of the time).
As if migraines aren’t bad enough, a lot of times stomachaches and that throw-up feeling come with them. So not only does our head feel like it’s going to explode, but so does our stomach.
8. Women experience migraines way more frequently than males.
Shoot, I’ve rarely ever heard of any male having a migraine. I could count these occurrences on one hand. Just another lovely benefit to being a lady.
9. Light, sound, and scents are not your friend.
When a migraine sets in, it is quite common that every single thing going on around you bothers you. The white noise on the intercom, the co-worker humming two offices down, the lights above you, the smell of popcorn from the break room, everything. A dark room with no noise and a fuzzy blanket is my favorite place to be. Placing something cool (for me it’s a gel mask) over my eyes helps sometimes, too.
10. There is no cure for migraines.
Yes, you read that right. No cure. Nothing. You may find something that works for you (and believe me, I’m happy for you), but if you don’t, well, just like the rest of us, you're doomed.
