Last Updated on June 2, 2019

I often am told by patients that most friends and family, work mates and school friends don’t understand their migraine headaches. It’s just another headache, they are often told. They need to just relax, stay hydrated and that’s it.

In its report on the burden of disease around the world, the World Health Organisation wrote:

“These common neurological complaints impose a significant health burden, with nearly all migraine sufferers and 60% of those with tension-type headache experiencing reductions in social activities and work capacity. Despite this, both the public and the majority of healthcare professionals tend to perceive headache as a minor or trivial complaint. As a result, the physical, emotional, and economic burdens of headache are poorly acknowledged in comparison with those of other, less prevalent, neurological disorders.”

It is important to remember that migraine is a serious and debilitating condition, but there are treatments and that disability needs to be managed…

Ref: Headache Disorders and Public Health, Education and Management Implications. World Health Organisation, Geneva, WHO/MSD/MBD/00.9, Sept 2000