Chicago, IL – November 1, 2007 – A recent survey conducted by the National Headache Foundation (NHF) revealed that 94% of headache sufferers have skipped a family or social event due to a headache. Additionally, 87% of respondents admitted to missing a day of work because of a headache.
Over 40% of headache sufferers believed that others dismiss headache as a valid reason to miss an event. Nearly half (42%) of those who missed work or another function because of a headache were not truthful about the reason of their absence. The reasons that they weren’t truthful included that they were embarrassed to miss events because of their headaches (35%) and because they thought they should be able to “tough it out” (36%).
Headache Sufferers Feel the Strain
- 45% of respondents missed at least 5 family or social events in the last year because of a headache
- Nearly 30% have missed up to 5 days of work each month due to headache
- 25% of respondents reported that their coworkers resent the time they spend away from work due to a headache
- 20% of respondents reported their family and friends tend to resent them for missing events because of headaches
“Headache is a neuro-biological disease and nearly 90 percent of men and 95 percent of women have had at least one headache. Just like heart disease, diabetes, and epilepsy, it requires a diagnosis so that people can obtain proper treatment,” says Suzanne Simons, Executive Director of the NHF. “The good news is that headache is a treatable disease and people should not needlessly suffer.”
“Many treatment options are available for headache sufferers,” declared Dr. Seymour Diamond, Executive Chairman of the NHF. “It is important to get diagnosed and get treated so that headaches don’t interfere with a person’s ability to participate in those activities that add quality to life.”
About Migraines
Nearly 30 million Americans suffer from migraine, which is most commonly experienced between the ages of 15 and 55. Seventy to eighty percent of sufferers have a family history of migraine. Less than half of all migraine sufferers have received a diagnosis of migraine from their healthcare provider. Migraine is often misdiagnosed as sinus or tension-type headache.
About The National Headache Foundation
The National Headache Foundation, founded in 1970, is a non-profit organization which exists to enhance the healthcare of headache sufferers. It is a source of help to sufferers’ families, physicians who treat headache sufferers, allied healthcare professionals and to the public. The NHF accomplishes its mission by providing educational and informational resources, supporting headache research and advocating for the understanding of headache as a legitimate neurobiological disease. For more information on headache causes and treatments, visit www.headaches.org or call 1-888-NHF-5552 (M-F. 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. CT).
CONTACT:
Suzanne E. Simons
Executive Director
National Headache Foundation
(312) 274-2651
ssimons@headaches.org
Anna Skoien
Vox Medica
(215) 238-8500, ext. 1325
askoien@voxmedica.com
