Your Guide to Preventing Migraines

Migraines affect 38 million people in the U.S. They can range from mild to debilitating and they may come on without any warning. Dr. Sharon Bergquist details what she discusses with her patients when they need help treating migraines.

Migraines can be unpredictable at times and impact your day-to-day functioning. If you’re prone to migraines, it’s important to understand your treatment options for this debilitating medical condition.

After 15 years of working as a headache and migraine specialist, I’ve learned a lot about the condition and how it impacts my patients’ lives. Here’s what I want them to know.

Migraines affect everyone differently, so it’s important to understand the nuances of your headaches. The more you know, the more likely it is that you and your doctor will find treatments that offer you relief.

As a parent with chronic migraine, Jaime Sanders has learned to balance her health and her responsibilities as a mom – and it hasn’t been easy. However, despite the challenges, life as a mom with migraine has taught her to appreciate the little things.

I was diagnosed with migraine as an eight-year-old, but when my migraine became more severe and chronic in my twenties, I became a much more active navigator in the medical system. But I began to experience a shift in how I was treated by healthcare professionals.

More specific migraine language can help correct the misunderstanding that “migraines are just a bad headache” and instead recognize migraine as the complex, highly prevalent, and nuanced disease it is.

Creating a personal “cocoon of comfort” during migraines signals to your brain that despite the circling chaos, you are safe. Comfort measures generally don’t eliminate pain, but they can positively change your perception of it—which can make a big difference.