Dear Friends,

When I was in 8th grade, migraines came into my life. There were times they made me feel like my head was a boulder that weighed a thousand pounds and, times when they caused my neck to become so stiff I could not turn my head all the way to the side. Sometimes I’d get dizzy or feel like I was going to throw up. This was happening to me multiple times a week, sometimes while I was at school. The cruelest thing about migraines is that they are almost completely invisible; no one can physically see how much I hurt. Therefore, it is very hard to explain to someone how much pain I am in when I can’t even show them. Here are some helpful hints for people who have never experienced a migraine and truly don’t understand what it is like living with chronic pain:

1. It’s not just a headache. A migraine is an inherited neurological disorder that is characterized by hyperexcitable brain networks that may be triggered by a variety of stimuli (e.g. alcohol, menstruation, fragrances, light glare), or becomes active spontaneously (even during sleep), leading to attacks.

2. It’s not something I can control, and it’s not my fault. The attacks often begin with a phase that may be characterized by severe fatigue, increased urination, yawning, neck pain, or sensitivity to light, noise or odors.

3. I may look ‘fine’ to you, but the pain I’m in is not fine. So please don’t tell me I don’t look sick. The headache phase of a migraine is often moderate or severe in intensity, and can be extremely disabling for sufferers, painful enough to cause work loss and absence from activities with family and friends.

4. I’m not an antisocial hermit by choice. It’s a necessity. Migraines are so painful, you always live in a fear of getting on in a social situation. Therefore, you just stay away.

5. It’s not just pain. It’s a complete physical, mental and emotional assault on your body. A migraine is disabling. The World Health Organization places a migraine as one of the 20 most disabling medical illnesses on the planet.

6. Everyone experiences migraines differently. Some get the aura, and others don’t. Some need to be flat on their backs, and others can’t lie down. Some need silence and darkness while others aren’t affected by these things too much. Migraines can change and evolve over time and with age and with life events such as pregnancy.

7. They can knock you in the dirt. Your whole body aches, and it feels like your head will explode. All you can do is go into a dark room, lie down and pray for it to stop. You can’t eat or sleep, and this can last for days. This is not a joke. I hate having them; it makes you feel worthless because you can’t do anything to stop them.

People that don’t understand what it is like, please take these facts and really think about them.

Thank you, Current chronic pain sufferer