Managing workplace migraine

There is a disease running rampant in our country, and it’s taking a serious toll not only on sufferers, but also on our economy. In addition to causing debilitating pain, nausea and discomfort, according to studies conducted by the Mayo Clinic, it is estimated that migraines cost the U.S. 19.6 billion dollars in lost productivity annually. While this number can seem almost criminally large to some, migraine sufferers are no slackers. Many migraine sufferers “suck it up” and go to work even when they’re in pain. But doing so might cost more productivity than taking sick leave. In fact, a Harris Interactive poll found that 15 million men and women fight through their migraine pain in order to continue working, with 61% taking either over-the-counter medications or often, nothing at all.

In one study conducted by the University of Tennessee Medical School and drug manufacturer GlaxoSmithKline, researchers surveyed 509 migraine sufferers. They found that patients “worked through” migraines 62 percent of the time, but that the pain reduced productivity by 25 percent. In fact, the researchers estimated that migraine patients lost a total of 974 hours when they stayed at home and 1,301 hours when they attended work.

Chances are either you or someone you know struggles to stay productive while simultaneously battling the excruciating pain of a migraine attack. However, even with over 28 million sufferers in the U.S., there still seems to be a common misconception about migraine among those that have not experienced it personally that it is “just a bad headache”. This lack of understanding about the serious nature of migraine and its effects often leads to negative assumptions on the part of coworkers and employers. Rather than being commended for their dedication and determination to work through their pain or receiving support, migraineurs often are seen as uncommitted. So what can you do to foster understanding in the workplace?

Talk About It

For those that have never experienced a migraine, it can be difficult to relate to your symptoms beyond comparing it to a common headache. What many people don’t appreciate is that migraine is a real disease, like diabetes, with tens of millions of sufferers worldwide. Much of this misunderstanding stems from the fact that relatively little is known about what causes migraine and it’s safe to say that migraine is not a common topic for conversation around the water cooler. This unfamiliarity for many non-sufferers can lead to serious misconceptions which can damage your reputation and relationships. For example, coworkers and employers may not understand that light is a common trigger for attacks and instead, simply see an employee wearing sunglasses indoors. They may not realize that although you look healthy, you suffer from a disease that may necessitate you leaving work early, several times a month. From an outsider’s perspective, these look like the symptoms of a slacker, not a sufferer. Fortunately, there have been many serious studies conducted in the past few decades to back up what migraine sufferers already know – it isn’t “just a headache”. In fact, according to the Migraine Association, migraine has been found to have a greater impact on quality of life than both heart disease and diabetes.

You may feel like you need to hide your migraine at work, but by talking to your boss and coworkers, they will better understand what it is you’re experiencing and together you can work to lessen the impact an attack has on your place of work.

Looking for a portable, non-sedating solution to your migraine pain? Why not try LipiGesic M – a non-prescription migraine headache medication. It has an outstanding safety record and high efficacy. It is portable and requires no water to use. It is a sublingual (under the tongue) application that is fast acting and has shown no side effects.

• “Managing Migraine on the Job”   - Dr. Jan Lewis Brandes, 2003

• HarrisInteractive Poll: “The Impact of Migraine on Women and Men in the Workplace.”  - Conducted for Pfizer Pharmeceuticals, 2002

• “The Impact of Migraine and the Effect of Migraine Treatment on Workplace Productivity in the United States and Suggestions for Future Research”- UHS Berkely, 2009

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