Do you suffer from migraines?
Migraines are not taken seriously in the workplace according to sufferers, with just 5 per cent believing their boss understands the severity and impact of their migraines, according to new research.
In a previous survey, a third of migraine sufferers believed they faced difficulties or discrimination at work because of their condition, according to the Migraine Trust.
In addition, Imigran Recovery’s research also revealed that just 8 per cent of sufferers believe their colleagues understand the impact of their migraines and 12 per cent worry that people think they get ill too easily.
This is despite the fact that the office work environment can often trigger migraines, with the biggest office-related culprits considered to be stress, long working hours, electronic screens and air conditioning.
Migraines affect approximately eight million people in the UK. The average sufferer endures an average of two episodes a month and a fifth of sufferers are forced to take time off work due to their migraines.
Dr Nicholas Silver, a Consultant Neurologist says: “Migraine attacks can be incredibly debilitating, rendering people unable to work and carry on with their daily routine. Migraines are more than "just a headache" and may cause not only symptoms of severe headache, but also may result in nausea, vomiting and lethargy. This means they cannot always be effectively treated with simple painkillers such as paracetamol, ibuprofen or codeine. It is important that people find an appropriate treatment for them. Sumatriptan often works very well as it is a specific drug that constricts the blood vessels to stop the pain of migraine attacks.”
Nearly two thirds of sufferers go straight to bed as soon as a migraine strikes if at all possible. However, more than a third of sufferers find the pain too unbearable to even sleep, and have to lie in a darkened room.
Aside from intense head pain, the most common symptoms of a migraine amongst sufferers are sensitivity to light, nausea, visual disturbances, and lack of co-ordination. The World Health Organisation classifies migraines as one of the most disabling illnesses.
With the threat of an episode often on the mind, it’s no wonder that a fifth of sufferers feel less sociable and one in ten have less confidence as a result of their migraines.
86 per centof sufferers take no preventative action between migraines and nearly half feel helpless, believing that their migraines are unpreventable and untreatable.
Experts believe that the widening of blood vessels in the brain causes the throbbing pain of migraines.