Is It a Migraine?

What Every Woman Needs to Know

• Migraines affect 28 million Americans and disproportionately affect more women than men about three to one.

• Most concerning, however, is the fact that half of all migraine sufferers remain undiagnosed.

• According to the International Headache Society’s diagnostic criteria for migraine headaches, symptoms of migraine include at least two of the following: pain on one side of the head, moderate to severe pain, throbbing pain, and worse pain when moving or bending over.

• Migraine sufferers also experience at least one associated symptom such as nausea or vomiting or sensitivity to light and sound.

• Sometimes sufferers also may experience sinus pain and pressure, neck pain and pain on both sides of the head, which may complicate the diagnosis of migraine.

• If left untreated, migraines can disrupt your life, even making it difficult to participate in daily activities

• Recent studies have shown that migraines are often misdiagnosed as sinus headache causing unnecessary treatments and prolonged pain and discomfort. Sometimes, this misdiagnosis even leads to unnecessary surgeries.

• Today, women wear many hats: wife, mother, CEO, caregiver often juggling many responsibilities. When a migraine hits, it can put your life on hold. But, with proper diagnosis and treatment, women can minimize the impact on their lives.

One resource to help women become informed about their headaches and prepared with appropriate questions to ask their healthcare provider is the headache quiz.

View Marcia Cross in a migraine PSA below.