Fighting the Migraine Storm

1 in 7 people are affected by migraine; there are over 8 million sufferers in the UK with approximately 190,000 attacks every day, making migraine one of the most common health disorders affecting the human nervous system. Although most people associate migraine with a severe head pain, this neurological condition is much more than just a headache.

In fact, migraine can affect the whole body and can result in a vast range of symptoms, such as visual disturbances, sickness, difficulty in forming words and even paralysis to name but a few. For some an attack can even occur without a headache at all.

Why people experience migraine is something that is still highly debated by medical experts and currently there is no diagnostic test or cure for the condition. However, until there is a cure, Migraine Action are here to help all of those affected take control through management of the condition. And the first step to taking control is finding your triggers.

Exactly what triggers a migraine is very individual to each person. For most people it is rarely just one trigger, but a combination of factors which individually can be tolerated but when several occur together a threshold is passed and an attack occurs. Sometimes, an attack could start due to eating a particular food, changing routine, lack of sleep or sleeping too much. We receive many calls to the Migraine Action helpline on how to find triggers, and one of the most difficult to spot is weather.

Weather in all forms can be a problem for migraine sufferers; from an extremely hot day to a change in pressure or a thunderstorm. After often speaking with many migraine sufferers on the impact weather has on their lives, we here at Migraine Action were keen to be involved in the Cloudy with a Chance of Pain study. Many callers to our helpline were keen to share their experiences to help understand the impact of weather better. Again the triggers will be very individual to each sufferer and weather is one of the hardest to manage (especially with the changeable nature of the British weather).

We recommend that you keep a migraine diary to help ascertain whether your attacks are triggered by different aspects of the weather and what else could be causing an attack (contact us for your free migraine diary today). Then, if they are impacted by the weather, be sure to keep up to date with weather reports to plan activities around when you will be least affected. When you know an attack may be more likely, try to limit your exposure to other known triggers that may affect you (e.g. too much sleep and irregular eating patterns). Be sure to take any chosen pain relief as soon as the pain comes on with a fizzy drink, to help you absorb it even faster and manage the attack more effectively.

Want more information, support and advice on migraine?

With over 50 years' experience, Migraine Action is the UK's leading support charity for all affected by migraine. We are here to bridge the gap between people affected by this neurological condition and the medical world, by providing unbiased information on all aspects of migraine, getting you the answers you deserve. We work tirelessly to raise awareness about the realities of living with migraine amongst the general public, and challenge misconceptions of the condition. We strive to ensure that no one is misdiagnosed, misunderstood or left missing out.

Those who suffer will understand how challenging, painful and disruptive migraines can be. That's why as part of Migraine Awareness Week this year (4th -10th September), we are focused on educating the wider public on the realities of the condition and ensuring that no one suffers alone. Migraine Action holds one of the few migraine art collections in the world. The collection, which includes over 500 pieces, contains a huge variety of expressions of what it means to experience life with migraine. The artists come from every walk of life, and include works by both adults and children. The collection includes depictions on a variety of subjects, from visual patterns experienced by those with visual aura, to the pain aspects of what a migraine really feels like. Now for the first time Migraine Action's Art Collection will be freely available for all to access and use! Visit the Migraine Art collection at www.migraineart.org.uk

A weather-themed art piece from the Migraine Action's migraine art collection

Migraine Action is here to help all those affected by migraine. For information, advice and support call us weekdays 10am to 4pm on 08456 011 033, email us at info@migraine.org.uk, or to find out everything going on this Migraine Awareness Week visit our website at www.migraine.org.uk.

This blog was written by Rebekah Aitchison Marketing and Communications Officer at Migraine Action