My Mother/Myself: Migraine Headaches are Hereditary
Experts urge sufferers to break the cycle of suffering "Migraine Million" fundraiser honors one-in-a-million moms
Migraine headaches are often hereditary and affect three times as many women as men. That’s why, for those who suffer from migraines, it is a good idea to ask Mom about her own headache experiences.
If one parent has these severe headaches, children have a 50 percent chance of also having them. If both parents have migraines, the chance for a child to be predisposed climbs to 75 percent. Even if a distant relative has migraine headaches, a 20 percent chance exists that any offspring will be prone to migraine headaches.
hen mom describes one-sided, throbbing and pulsating head pain, accompanied by nausea, vomiting and sensitivity to light and noise in various combinations, she probably has or had migraines. And, if mom had headaches around her period, she probably had menstrual migraine, which is related to changes in the levels of the female hormone estrogen during a woman’s menstrual cycle.
Experts urge sufferers to break the cycle of suffering and get the help not available a generation ago
Merle Diamond, M.D., associate director of the Diamond Headache Clinic in Chicago and member of the National Headache Foundation Board of Directors, knows first-hand the effects of hereditary migraines. She is a migraine sufferer as are her four children and husband.
Dr. Diamond says that while our parents may have suffered through the pain, today we don’t have to. “Compared to just a generation ago, we know so much more about migraines and how to care for them. But because headaches are so personal and different for everyone, it is important that sufferers really get to know their headaches—their symptoms, their patterns, their triggers – and use that information to get the best care. It takes some understanding and effort for people with headaches to feel better, but it is worth it when you consider the toll headaches can take on work, family and social life.”
“Migraine Million” fundraiser honors one-in-a-million moms
The NHF is raising awareness about the toll headaches take on the sufferer, their families, employers, and the healthcare system, and encouraging people to take and get better care.
Because education takes money, the organization has launched a new fundraiser called the “Migraine Million” campaign.
“Our goal is for one million of the nearly 30 million people with migraine to donate $1 each toward headache education and research,” said Suzanne Simons, executive director of the NHF. “People can show their mom that she’s one in a million. By donating to the Migraine Million campaign in her name, they can let mom know they take her headaches seriously and they care about her well being. One dollar at a time, we can improve headache care.” People can make a donation by visiting the NHF website at www.headaches.org or by calling the NHF at 1-888-NHF-5552. They will receive an acknowledgement of the donation that can be emailed to mom, or printed and included in a card.
NHF makes it easy to get help
The NHF is a nonprofit organization that has been helping people with headache for nearly 40 years. It is a source of help to sufferers’ families, physicians who treat headache sufferers, allied healthcare professionals and to the public. The leaders of the organization are world-renowned experts in the field who have pulled together many easy-to-use tools and resources to help people better understand headaches and options for headache care. This information can be accessed on the National Headache Foundation website at www.headaches.org or by calling 1-888-NHF-5552 (M-F, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. CT).
Notes to Editors: · June 7-13, 2009 is National Headache Awareness Week. The theme for this year is “Chart Your Course to Headache Relief,” which is the first of a series of patient education programs and materials that will be available through a new portal on the NHF website called “Headache U: It’s all about YOU.” The portal will include a “Personal Headache Care Tool” that asks people with headache questions about their experiences and patterns, and based upon the information given, guides people toward headache care resources relevant to them. · To learn more about headaches, and/or to schedule an interview with Dr. Diamond or a local headache specialist, contact Jennifer Corrigan at 732-382-8898 or jenn.corrigan@comcast.net
