11 Things You Should Know About Migraine Sufferers

In my house, migraines were a norm. I have them, my father had them, my grandmother had them. From an early age I learned when there was pain, you tried the best you could to pretend things were normal. It wasn't until the 'stroke' symptoms appeared that you should rest. While 14% of the world's population will experience migraines, an even small percentage of these migraine sufferer's experience hemiplegic migraine. There are two types of hemiplegic migraines: sporadic and familial. 

My family has the type of migraines that affect 0.01% of migraine suffers, familial hemiplegic migraines. Familial hemiplegic migraines (FMH) are a genetic, migraine disorder which gives your offspring a 50% chance of receiving the genetic mutation. Symptoms of this specific type of a migraine include: 

• Numbness on one side of the body. 
• Excruciating pain on one side of your head. My numbness and pain both affect the right side of the body. I feel the pain in my head while experiencing numbness in my face, neck, and arm. 
• Pins-and-needles feeling. While my right leg and side do not go numb, I do experience pins-and-needles sensations that make it incredibly difficult to move. 
• Aura or blurred vision.
• Slurred speech.
• Nausea and vomiting
• Extreme sensitivity to light, smell, and sound
• Processing delays
• Confusion
• Difficulty remembering words or forming sentences
• Did I mention pain? Lots of pain?

Ever wonder what you can do to help your friend or loved one suffering from migraines? Here are some tips to help be a supportive person in their life:

1. Do Not Downplay Their Pain
Most individuals tend to hear the word migraine and respond with 'Oh I get headaches too". First, Susan, a migraine is to a headache as Godzilla is to a lizard. They are not even remotely equivalent. Even while I'm writing this post, every time I write the word migraine, Grammarly tries to correct it to 'headache'. They are not the same bloody thing. Trying to downplay it only makes treating it more difficult!

If a loved one shares with you, they're experiencing a migraine, do not downplay that pain. Telling them "headaches are awful" only make them feel isolated and stigmatised. 

2. Try to Understand Their Triggers
Certain smells or food, alcohol, stress, sensory stimuli and changes in weather can trigger migraines. Understanding what triggers can exacerbate migraines in your loved ones can help make them a little more comfortable. If its strong perfumes, avoid wearing them for a few days. Avoid offering trigger foods to them when they're unwell. These simple acts really show you care. 

3. Ask If There Is Anything You Can Do To Help
Sometimes a migraine can be so severe a person cannot see. This makes it difficult to seek medical attention. Offer to drive them to doctors appointments or to pick up any medication they may need. Cooking can also be an impossible task so offering to make a meal is always appreciated. 

4. Try to Keep the Noise Down and Turn Off the Lights
Keeping the noise down and turning off the lights is the simplest way to help out a loved one with a migraine. Sensitivities to light and sound can sometimes be challenging hurdles to overcome to get mild relief. For some, the sound of their own breath can be excruciating, causing not only pain but nausea and vomiting. Making sure they're in a quiet, dark place can help aid in the recovery. 

5. If They Need to Cancel Plans, Just Say "No Worries"
It absolutely sucks having to cancel plans last minute. It sucks, even more, when friends aren't understanding and try to pressure you to still go out, underplaying your pain. Don't be that friend or family member. If your loved one needs to cancel, just tell them no worries, and you'll reschedule for when they're feeling better. Throw in a bit of #3 too. 

6. Cover for Them
One of the most supportive things you could do is help cover for them. This may mean helping decrease their workload for a few days, swapping shifts so they can rest, or helping them find coverage for their shift. You may even want to call in on their behalf. Sometimes migraines can be so painful the individual is unable to talk. 

7. Support Their Dietary Constraints 
This does not mean avoiding foods you love while you're around the individual. This could mean not pressuring them to "try a bite" or "just have one drink". Certain foods and drinks, even in small quantities can mean days of pain. If they're unwell, find out what food smells trigger them and suggest ordering something they can stomach. 

8. Tidy Up
Household chores become last priority when one has a migraine. Sometimes the stress of knowing the house is a mess is enough to trigger the next. Help straighten up around the house. Offer to do a load of laundry or wash the dishes. You don't need to do a full moveout clean to show you care. 

9. Do Not Offer Advice
If I had a nickel every time, someone said "my (insert rando person) tried (insert rando info they googled), and it worked really well. Have you tried it?" I may be as rich as the Royal Family. I know the advice comes from a good place, but unless you have knowledge on brand new groundbreaking research, chances are I've tried what you're about to suggest. Just like when Ann was preggo on Parks & Rec, and Chris was overbearing, all you need to say is "that sucks" or "how can I help"?

10. Keep in Touch
We may fall out of touch for a bit. This doesn't mean we love you any less or that we don't want to see you. Migraine brain and the migraine hangover can often make it incredibly difficult to remember much of anything. Just send a quick text. This helps us feel a little less isolated and not so bad for having to bail on stuff. 

11. Research Migraine Art
There are so many VR simulators and migraine artwork that help depict what an individual with migraines might be experiencing. I highly suggest checking these out. It can help give you a person first account of the impact of migraines. 

Migraines can leave one feeling incredibly isolated. But with a strong, understanding support network, you don't have to feel so alone. If you suffer from migraines, what would you like your support network to understand? If you've never suffered from migraines, what would you want to understand better? Join the discussion in the comments below. 

And until next time...

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