ABILITY TO FOCUS
WHAT IS MIGRAINE?
Migraine is more than just a headache and can affect everyone differently.
For many, migraine can be a disabling condition with recurrent attacks that cause severe throbbing pain often occurring on one side of the head. It’s often accompanied by nausea, vomiting, and extreme sensitivity to light and sound.
If you live with migraine, you are not alone.
Migraine affects over 1 billion people worldwide.
In the United States, 39 million people are living with migraine.
About migraine attacks
May last anywhere
from 4 to 72 hours
Attacks can range
from tolerable
to intolerable
May be aggravated
by certain activities
Symptoms include head pain, nausea, vomiting, and/or sensitivity to light or sound
TYPES OF MIGRAINE
Migraine is a neurological disease with different types of classifications.
MIGRAINE WITHOUT AURA vs MIGRAINE WITH AURA
MIGRAINE WITHOUT AURA
Migraine without aura is common and may be associated with symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, and sensitivity to light or sound.
VS
MIGRAINE WITH AURA
Aura is a series of sensory changes, such as flashing lights or tingling and numbness, that may be a sign of a migraine attack.
EPISODIC MIGRAINE vs CHRONIC MIGRAINE
EPISODIC MIGRAINE
Episodic migraine is characterized by migraine attacks about 0 to 14 days per month.
VS
CHRONIC MIGRAINE
If you experience 15 or more headache days a month, each lasting 4 or more hours, you may suffer from chronic migraine.
IDENTIFYING MIGRAINE TRIGGERS
What triggers a migraine is unique to each person. There is a key protein in your body that is believed to be a cause of migraine attacks, but there are also some other common triggers you should know and try to avoid.
Here are some of the most common ones:
| Nutrition |
|---|
| Drinks, such as alcohol and too much caffeine |
| Foods, such as salty and processed foods |
| Food additives |
| Sensory |
|---|
| Changes in the weather |
| Bright lights and sun glare |
| Strong smells |
| Lifestyle |
|---|
| Stress level |
| Menstruation & hormonal changes |
| Changes in or irregular sleep patterns |
| Medicines |
|---|
| Frequent use of certain types of medications |
| Ingredients in certain medications |
| Hormonal medications |
Talk with your healthcare provider about your migraine experience and finding the right treatment option for you
IDENTIFYING MIGRAINE TRIGGERS
What triggers a migraine is unique to each person. There is a key protein in your body that is believed to be a cause of migraine days, but there are also some other common triggers you should know and try to avoid.
Here are some of the most common ones:
| Nutrition |
|---|
| Drinks, such as alcohol and too much caffeine |
| Foods, such as salty and processed foods |
| Food additives |
| Sensory |
|---|
| Changes in the weather |
| Bright lights and sun glare |
| Strong smells |
| Lifestyle |
|---|
| Stress level |
| Menstruation & hormonal changes |
| Changes in or irregular sleep patterns |
| Medicines |
|---|
| Frequent use of certain types of medications |
| Ingredients in certain medications |
| Hormonal medications |
Talk with your healthcare provider about your migraine experience and finding the right treatment option for you
PHASES OF A MIGRAINE ATTACK
FEW HOURS TO DAYS
PRODROME
- Variety of physical and mental changes (such as tiredness, mood swings, food cravings)
5 TO 60 MINUTES
AURA
- A sense of random, slow-moving waves that affect a person’s ability to focus and can include visual disturbances like seeing bright or flashing lights or zigzag lines, or temporary vision loss
- Up to 33% of people can experience aura
4 TO 72 HOURS
HEADACHE PHASE
- Head pain that is typically throbbing
- Additionally, people are sensitive to light, sound, and may experience nausea
24 TO 48 HOURS
POSTDROME
- Best described as a “migraine hangover”
- Symptoms mirror the prodrome phase and could last from hours to a couple of days
HOW MIGRAINE CAN AFFECT YOU
Clinical research has shown that migraine attacks can affect the brain over time.
THE LENGTH AND AMOUNT OF ATTACKS A PERSON EXPERIENCES CAN IMPACT:
VISION PROBLEMS
PHYSICAL MOVEMENT
BALANCE
PERCEPTION OF PAIN
QUALITY OF LIFE
REAL PATIENTS SHARE HOW THEY LIVE WITH MIGRAINE
Kelsi, Latoya, Audrey, and Colleen describe their life experiences with migraine
MORE ABOUT MIGRAINE
The following organizations are national, nonprofit patient advocacy organizations that offer information, education, and resources for people living with migraine disease.
AMERICAN MIGRAINE FOUNDATION
To mobilize a community for patient support and advocacy as well as drive and support impactful research that translates into advances for patients with migraine and other disabling diseases that cause severe head pain.
NATIONAL HEADACHE FOUNDATION
The National Headache Foundation is striving to cure headache, and to end its pain and suffering. In support of our mission, the NHF looks to achieve these key goals: advocacy, awareness, education, and research.
COALITION FOR HEADACHE AND MIGRAINE PATIENTS
The Coalition for Headache and Migraine Patients (CHAMP) provides support to people with migraine, cluster, and other headache diseases. CHAMP works to fight the stigma against invisible illnesses and help people achieve fair access to treatments.
AbbVie is not responsible for the content of these sites and the inclusion of any link does not imply an endorsement. They are listed here for educational purposes only. Each site may be governed by its own Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy, for which AbbVie has no responsibility.