Fact Sheets
Men and Migraine
Although three times as many women suffer from migraines than men, there is evidence that men tend not to seek advice from the medical profession about their condition and remain undiagnosed. This fact sheet focuses on the issues for men who have migraine.
Introduction
It is well known that migraine affects more women than men. Compared to 16% of women, migraine affects 5% of men. Some studies show that around half of those with migraine have not had a formal diagnosis. Migraine is often seen as “just a headache” and many migraine sufferers of both sexes do not seek medical advice or diagnosis, but this is perhaps even worse for men.
Men and health
When it comes to health, men are less likely to seek help compared to women. Men traditionally see their role to be a provider, to be in control and to be able to look after themselves. Men feel the need to struggle on when they are ill and see illness as a sign of weakness, negatively affecting their masculine image.
Women are more used to discussing their health, for example, talking with friends, reading magazines and visiting the doctor for women’s health issues.
If you are worried about your health, ignoring the problem won’t make it go away. The sooner you seek help the less time you will spend worrying about it. Remember that your pharmacist can also offer you information as well as your GP.
More than “just a headache”
Migraine affects 8 million people in the UK and the World Health Organisation has rated it among the 20 most disabling lifetime conditions, which costs the UK over £3 billion per year in lost working hours and doctors’ visits. Despite the prevalence of migraine in the UK it remains an invisible condition with the sufferer often remaining isolated and the condition not being treated seriously by others.
Of those who suffer from this disabling condition it is estimated that between 10-20% of migraine sufferers are unable to work due to migraine. People with migraine are considered to have a lower quality of life than people with asthma.
What is migraine?
Migraine is a complex condition with a wide variety of symptoms. For many people the main feature is a painful headache. Other symptoms include disturbed vision, sensitivity to light, sound and smells, feeling sick and vomiting. Migraines can be very frightening and may result in you having to lie still for several hours
The symptoms will vary from person to person and individuals may have different symptoms during different attacks. Your attacks may differ in length and frequency. Migraines usually last from 4 to 72 hour and most people are free from symptoms between attacks.
Migraine tends to occur for the first time when you are in your teens or early 20s although many start getting migraines as children. Although migraine is more prevalent in women than men, in children migraine is more common in boys than girls up to the age of 12 years. At least 90% of people will have experienced their first migraine attack before the age of 40.
Family connection
You might find that other family members also have migraine. For 70-80% of people with migraine there is a family history.
Statistically people with migraine or a member of their family are more likely to have major depression, epilepsy, anxiety, panic attacks and psychotic disorders than those without migraine. This does not mean that one health condition causes the other, rather that the chance of two or more of these conditions co-existing is higher.
Migraine in childhood
Children tend to have shorter attacks compared to adults and symptoms such as abdominal pain, nausea and aura symptoms may be more prominent than headache pain.
Boys tend to experience headaches from an earlier age and whilst they are going through their growth spurt. Paying particular attention to a boy’s diet during this time, by ensuring he eats regular meals, can be very helpful in preventing migraine attacks.
What can trigger a migraine?
There is no known cause for migraine, although people with it are genetically predisposed to migraine with a more than usually sensitive nervous system. This means that they are prone to migraine attacks which are triggered by factors in their environment that other people may not notice.
A migraine trigger factor is described as any event, change, external stimulus or physical act which seems to result in migraine. It precedes the attack by a short interval which could be as much as up to 6 to 8 hours. Almost anything can be a migraine trigger factor for a person prone to migraine and sensitive to that trigger.
Migraine is a complicated condition, which varies widely between individuals. Just as the symptoms of an attack vary from person to person, so can the things that trigger your attacks. Often you can manage your migraines by being aware of what is triggering them and then taking steps to control these triggers. Triggers can include:
- Changes in routine
- Missed or delayed meals, eating sugary snacks instead of a balanced meal.
- Alcohol
- Too much or too little sleep
- Stress – also anxiety, excitement and any form of tension or shock, as well as relaxation after a stressful period.
- Travel - triggers such as stress, lack of sleep and missed meals can be present when travelling. You might also experience jet lag and air pressure changes when flying.
- The environment – weather changes, high humidity, loud noises, etc.
- Bright or flickering lights as well as glare.
- Excessive consumption of caffeine or suddenly stopping your caffeine intake.
Why should I get a diagnosis?
Although there is no specific test which can diagnose migraine, it is still important to seek a diagnosis in order to rule out anything more serious which may be causing the symptoms you are experiencing. Also without a diagnosis you may be self-medicating and this can lead to an increase in headaches or medication overuse headache.
Diagnosis will depend upon your doctor taking your medical history and ruling out other causes for the attacks. It may sound obvious, but before you start any form of treatment you need to be sure that you are being treated for the right condition.
If other medical conditions co-exist alongside your migraine this is important in terms of treatment. Certain drugs cannot be taken together for example. Inform your doctor of any other medications you might be taking including herbal remedies or over the counter drugs.
A confirmed diagnosis of migraine and appropriate treatment can help prevent some attacks from occurring and help you to control the remaining attacks more effectively. It is important to remember that migraine is a chronic condition and there is currently no cure. Research is continuing.
Migraine diary
As there are no diagnostic tests for migraine, keeping an accurate record of your migraines can be very helpful in assisting both you and your doctor to have a clear picture of your migraines. This may include information on:
- When the head pains started
- How often they happen
- If there are other symptoms (such as being sick or having vision problems)
- How long the attacks last
- Where the pain is
- Whether the pain is throbbing, piercing
- Any other health conditions
It is helpful to record as many aspects of daily life as possible to see what may be a trigger, such as:
- What and when you eat
- Your medication
- Alcohol consumption
- Vitamins or health products you take
- Any exercise you take
- How much sleep you have
- Other factors such as the weather, social or work activities.
It is often useful noting if you did anything different prior to the attack, for example missed or delayed meals. The 6-8 hours before the migraine attack are particularly important to record.
Start recording your migraine attacks now with an online migraine diary or read our Migraine Diaries fact sheet.
Exercise and migraine
Exercise is often noted as a trigger for migraine. However research suggests that moderate aerobic exercise can have a positive effect on migraine and may prevent an attack.
Regular physical activity will improve your overall health and reduce the risk of developing other health conditions such as high blood pressure or depression. Benefits also include reducing stress and improving the quality of sleep patterns.
If you have found that strenuous exercise can trigger a migraine attack, it can be helpful to build up your exercise program gradually. Keep a migraine/exercise diary to give you an idea of the affect exercise has had on your migraines and any steps to take to help ensure that exercise is not a trigger for you.
Some useful tips to avoid migraine triggers that can arise when exercising:
- Eat at least an hour and a half before exercising to avoid a low blood sugar level.
- Drink fluids before, during and after exercise to prevent dehydration.
- Warm up with stretching exercises before and after exercising to prevent muscle tension.
- Plan ahead so that exercise follows a regular routine along with regular meals and regular sleep patterns.
Migraine in the workplace
If you are under stress at work, sitting with poor posture, or perhaps not keeping hydrated, these can all lead to headaches or migraines.
Sitting in front of a computer at home or work for long periods of time can cause problems if you experience migraine. Following common sense precautions such as taking regular breaks, using anti glare screens and good lighting can help prevent this sort of difficulty.
Sitting comfortably is very important when you use a computer to avoid muscle tension building up in the head, neck and shoulders. This muscle tension may be implicated in the onset of migraine. Make sure that your workstation is set up appropriately with an adjustable chair and the screen is at the right height for your eyes so you don’t hurt your neck.
If change in routine is one of your trigger factors for migraine you may find that shift work or changing jobs affects your migraines.
Migraine as you get older
Generally, migraine does improve and become less common as you get into your 50s and 60s. As you get older you could find that when you have a migraine the pain is not as severe and symptoms are less intense. Migraine attacks may reduce in frequency or stop altogether in later life. Around two thirds of people with migraine no longer have attacks by the age of 65.
Other types of headache to be aware of
- Frequent Migraine - if migraine becomes frequent by occurring on 15 or more days per month for more than 3 months then it may be classified as a type of chronic daily headache.
- If a person has migraine, they may also have other types of headache. For example, exercise headache.
- Medication overuse headache
- Tension-type headache
There are some types of headache that affect more men than women. These include:
- Cluster headache – affects mostly men in their 20s or older. Six times more men than women suffer cluster headaches, and most often they are smokers too. Cluster headache usually occurs during a 4-12 week period called a “bout” and occurs once a year or every two years, which can occur at the same time of year. Each cluster headache “attack” develops suddenly and typically lasts between 15 minutes and 3 hours (without treatment). Most people are pain free between attacks. Attacks often begin at a similar time of day or night and can occur every other day but may occur several times a day. During an attack there is a severe pain on one-sided of the head along with one or more of the following symptoms: - a blocked or runny nose, a droopy eyelid, watering and redness of one eye, a flushed or sweaty face, a restless feeling.
- Coital headache – headache that occurs during sex, either at the start of sexual activity or at orgasm. Affects approximately four times as many men compared to women. Men who have migraine or high blood pressure are more likely to experience these headaches. Even though you might feel embarrassed to see your doctor it is advisable to seek medical advice if you experience this type of headache for the first time so that other causes can be ruled out.
Steps you can take to help yourself
- Here are some simple steps to help you take control of your headaches or migraines:
- Get a diagnosis for your headache from a doctor
- Try to identify triggers with your doctor’s help
- Eat regularly and healthily
- Stay hydrated
- Reduce caffeine intake and avoid fizzy drinks
- Take time out of every day to relax and do something for yourself
- Take regular exercise
- Try to keep a regular sleeping pattern
- Plan ahead and ask for help if you need it
- At work – check your posture, be aware of your work station layout, check the lighting is appropriate without glare and take regular breaks.
Further information
This fact sheet discusses a number of issues that are covered in more detail in other fact sheets and packs written by The Migraine Trust. For example, Migraine Triggers and Cluster Headache. Go to fact sheets.
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