In France, around 11 million people suffer from migraine. Among them, nearly 870,000 have chronic migraine (1.7% of the French population).
“Migraine is a neurological disease which is characterized by attacks,” explains Dr. Solène de Gaalon, neurologist at Nantes University Hospital and secretary of the French Society for the Study of Migraines and Headaches.
“These attacks mainly cause headaches, but not only. They are often accompanied by sensitivity to light and noise, digestive symptoms such as nausea and vomiting, and sometimes problems with concentration, fatigue and mood. Between attacks, patients generally feel well and do not have any particular symptoms. »
In chronic migraine, attacks are very frequent and there may be a permanent background of pain even between attacks.
A very feminine population
According to Dr de Gaalon, “the prevalence of migraine is higher in women, with an over-representation appearing from adolescence. The highest incidence is in young adults, therefore between 30 and 40 years old. Attacks tend to decrease, especially after menopause in women. Migraine is rarer in adults after age 60. »
In terms of care, our specialist believes that “the general practitioner is able to diagnose and treat the majority of cases. If the situation is more complex, the patient may be referred to a neurologist. For severe and resistant migraines, specialized centers with neurologists and pain doctors can take over. At the Nantes University Hospital, for example, specialized consultations for migraines are available in the neurology department and at the pain center. »
Migraine and pain impact quality of life
According to Dr de Gaalon, chronic migraine “is defined as a headache occurring at least 15 days per month for more than 3 months, having the characteristics of a migraine headache at least 8 days per month. »
Its impact on daily life is not sufficiently recognized. And yet the disease significantly deteriorates the quality of life of patients both personally and professionally.
This chronic migraine “is extremely debilitating. Patients avoid going out, eating too fatty foods, at odd times, going to bed late, seeing too many people, being in noise, in the light… This also has an impact on professional life, in connection with work stoppages and difficulty being productive. Thus, migraine can lead to anxiety and depressive syndromes, limit social and professional activities, and require specific treatment. »
Unfortunately, migraine is too often trivialized in our country.
There are several reasons for this, “including cultural factors and a lack of understanding of the disease. Migraines are often confused with regular headaches, and some patients think there is nothing that can be done.
There are a number of women in particular who think it’s normal to have these headaches when you’re a woman, for example when you’re on your period. It is essential to raise awareness of the seriousness of migraine and to train health professionals on this problem. And in particular pharmacists. »
Indeed, with appropriate care provided by health professionals, the impact on the patient’s life can be reduced.
A site to understand your migraine
On the website https://www.stopmigraine.fr/, numerous resources are available to help patients understand their illness. The website provides information on the disease and notably offers a tool to discover the impact of migraine on daily life as well as testimonials from patients suffering from migraine and chronic migraine.
