Every year, the United Kingdom observes Migraine Awareness Week in the first week of September. This year, it will be observed from September 24 to 30. Migraines are mistakenly understood as severe headaches, but they are so much more than that. Migraines are actually a debilitating neurological disease. Even though migraines are a common headache disorder, they remain poorly understood and neglected. Many people go their entire lives without proper diagnosis and treatment. With care and treatment, migraines can become more manageable. Apart from inheriting the condition, some people can also get migraines through specific triggers. Interestingly, one can develop migraine at any stage in their life.
History of Migraine Awareness Week
Migraines are a chronic neurological disorder that affects over a billion people across the world. Migraine symptoms include long-lasting headaches, characterized by severe, throbbing, or pulsating pain on one side of the head. The headache is often accompanied by light or sound sensitivity, nausea, or vomiting. Even though the symptoms can be very uncomfortable and impact the overall quality of life, people remain ignorant of the condition. Migraine is one of the top ten leading causes of years lived with disability worldwide. Around the world, the prevalence of migraine is approximately 10% of the entire population. More than half the patients who complain of severe and regular headaches, turn out to be migraines.
While migraines don’t have a definitive cause, certain factors can trigger the condition. These triggers include stress, irregular sleep schedules, caffeine or alcohol consumption, dietary triggers such as chocolate, cheese, and dairy products, hormone fluctuations, and more. That’s a long list!
The condition significantly impacts the individual’s personal, professional and social life. Migraines come without a warning and can be crippling. This is the main reason for an urgent need to diagnose and treat migraines correctly. It also helps patients to identify their migraine triggers and avoid these triggers as best as they can. There is also the need for more effective, personalized migraine treatment. Medical practitioners should also take into account the patient’s comorbidities, frequency and severity of attacks, and more. As you can see, patients and healthcare workers need to be more vigilant of migrant attacks and their treatments.
Migraine Awareness Week timeline
He describes headaches brought on by certain sounds.
Erasmus Darwin notices that women are more likely to get migraine attacks than men.
This is a major breakthrough.
This is the first drug available to treat migraines.
Migraine Awareness Week FAQs
How do migraines start?
Migraines likely start when overactive nerve cells send out signals that trigger your trigeminal nerve, which gives sensation to your head and face.
Is migraine a serious problem?
Migraines can be debilitating but for some people, there is an increased risk of stroke.
How do I relieve a migraine?
Hot packs and heating pads can relax tense muscles. Warm showers or baths may have a similar effect. Drink a caffeinated beverage. In small amounts, caffeine alone can relieve migraine pain in the early stages.
How to Observe Migraine Awareness Week
Get yourself checked
Do you also suffer from severe and regular headaches that seem to be triggered by certain situations? Consider getting yourself screened for migraines during Migraine Awareness Week.
Identify the triggers
If you have indeed been diagnosed with migraine, spend some time during Migraine Awareness Week trying to identify triggers that bring on a migraine attack. Once you have identified these triggers, you can avoid them too.
Raise awareness
If you or someone you know often suffers from migraine attacks, then you are already aware of how the condition affects the quality of life. Spend Migraine Awareness Week by raising awareness about the diagnosis and treatment of the condition.
5 Facts About The Symptoms Of Migraine
It is a very common condition
One in four people in the U.S. suffers from migraines.
It mostly affects women
Women are 18% more likely than men to suffer from migraines.
Children can have migraines too
Young boys are more likely to suffer from migraines than girls.
They can trigger other mental ailments
Patients with migraine are also likely to suffer from depression and anxiety.
Some may get migraine attacks daily
These are called chronic migraines.
Why Migraine Awareness Week is Important
It affects so many of us
Migraine Awareness Week raises awareness of a condition that affects more than a billion people in the world. The more people know about migraines, the easier it is to demand better treatments.
It makes life better
The aim of Migraine Awareness Week is also to find a personalized and dedicated treatment for every patient. The observations are fully dedicated to making every patient’s life better.
It’s a celebration of medical science
Do you realize the incredible progress that medical science has made in the last few years in the diagnosis and treatment of migraine? Migraine Awareness Week also celebrates the contribution of medical science.
Migraine Awareness Week dates
| Year | Date | Day |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | September 24 | Saturday |
| 2023 | September 24 | Sunday |
| 2024 | September 24 | Tuesday |
| 2025 | September 24 | Wednesday |
| 2026 | September 24 | Thursday |
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