First off, I’d like to lead off with the
obvious fact behind this matter. We don’t know when a migraine is going
to hit, we don’t know all the time when a regular sinus or tension
headache is going to turn into a horrible, crippling
migraine. There’s no need to argue about it, no need to get frustrated
about it and no need to create any sort of tension about it. No one
that suffers from chronic migraines wants to have a migraine. I’ve
never heard anyone profess their undying love for
a good migraine or say they would love to get a migraine right now so
they can leave work early. I will work 24 hours a day if it meant I
wouldn’t have a migraine.
Secondly, many people (doctors/scientists)
believe a migraine is actually a disorder of the central nervous system
in our bodies. A headache is merely a pain in the head area; triggered
by eating habits, dehydration, sinus congestion,
muscle tension, etc. A migraine is beyond the point of headache
status, they also include nausea, vomiting, dizziness, pain behind the
eyes, trouble seeing, muscle weakness, and abdominal pain. All these
symptoms come from the brain because the severity
of the migraine is, to put it so everyone can understand, making the
brain panic. The brain, as complex as it is, convinces itself that the
host if in danger and it is trying to eradicate the problem by sending
troops out to spots that aren’t even a part
of the problem.
As a constant migraine sufferer, I have
experienced each and every one of these issues/symptoms and it is
certainly not something real migraine sufferers would even joke about
wishing on someone. It’s that serious and in my experience
can lead to trips to the Emergency Room to have two shots, one for the
nausea and one for the severity of the pain. Now I’ve never been dosed
up enough to the point that I needed to be carried in the house but I
have heard stories about my father being so
doped up just to get rid of the pain that he couldn’t even function to
get in the house to rest.
Finally, there are a few more symptoms or
side effects to the migraine. When a true migraine has set in the
victim can and probably does suffer from photophobia and phonophobia.
Photophobia is an increased sensitivity to
light; I’ve experienced this every time I’ve had a migraine. The light
acts as a visual dagger either trying to pierce its way in to the brain
after crushing through the skull or the dagger
of light is already in the brain and it wants to come out, probably
through one of the eyeballs.
Phonophobia is an increased sensitivity to
sound; I have experienced this one as well with every migraine. The
slightest noise is so excruciating that it actually makes the brain feel
like one of the drums Lars Ulrich would play during
a show. It’s like the brain wants to exit the skull but your mental
abilities are so drained that you think it could actually happen.
Sometimes I feel like I have a huge knot on my forehead and go check in
the mirror or that my eyeball is about to squeeze
its way out of my eye socket, crushing my orbital bones in the process.
Next time you have a migraine or someone
you know is suffering from a migraine, sympathize with them and do
everything you can to help them. It’s not life threatening even though
it will get so bad at times that it will seem like
death is the only logical option.
For all my fellow migraine sufferers,
remember that you are not the only one, you are not alone. Just try to
be calm, get in a dark room or shower and just close your eyes.
Hopefully when you get in the bed, you’ll fall asleep for
hours and when you wake up, it will all be over with and life can
continue like normal, until the next one. Then the next day get into
the doctor and get some good drugs, Percocet or something of that
magnitude should easily do the trick. Don’t be ashamed
to go to the Emergency Room, don’t be embarrassed. I couldn’t give two
shits about what someone thinks about me during my time of hell on
earth. The Emergency Rooms are slow but they are sympathetic to these
problems and they will take care of you, just
be prepared for the co-pay.
In conclusion, for my non-migraine
sufferers don’t EVER call a migraine “just a headache”! Feel blessed or
lucky that you haven’t had to experience a migraine at full force. We
don’t enjoy being in the bed all day or having to use
our vacation as a sick day but it is part of the life that was bestowed
upon us through our genes. I know it’s frustrating for the spouse, my
wife used to not get it, but once it is clear, once they hear you
vomiting up stomach acid for hours on end, once
they hear you taking 8 showers in a 2 hour period and as they see you
getting a ride to the ER only to lie there for hours until they finally
give you some meds they will eventually get it.
You’re not the only one. That applies to pretty much everything too by the way.
Sleep well, Stay strong and most of all NEVER CONFORM!
-JB
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