Migraine Awareness

According to Penney Cowan, Founder and CEO of the Founder and CEO of the American Chronic Pain Association (ACPA), “More than 29.5 million Americans suffer from migraines, with women being affected three times more often than men.”

Contrary to the popular misconception, a migraine isn’t just a severe headache. According to the ACPA, a migraine can cause intense throbbing or pulsing in one area of the head and is commonly accompanied by nausea, vomiting, and extreme sensitivity to light and sound. Migraine attacks can cause significant pain for hours, or days, and be so severe that all a migraine sufferer can think about is finding a dark, quiet place to lie down. Some migraines are preceded or accompanied by sensory warning symptoms (aura) such as flashes of light, blind spots, or tingling in the arm or leg.

The Migraine Research Foundation stresses that a migraine is an extremely incapacitating collection of neurological symptoms. Whereas someone who experiences a headache might be able to “tough it out” until the symptom passes, a migraine sufferer usually must learn to manage the pain through medication, adequate sleep habits, and a good diet. Yet, for about 10 percent of cases, migraines resist treatment.

Danielle Byron Henry’s Experience With Migraines

In a past blog, I shared the story of Danielle Byron Henry. The daughter of dear friends, Danielle suffered from unmanageable migraines from the age of eight. Dan, a family physician himself, was becoming an expert in headaches, and he pursued every angle that could possibly provide Danielle relief. None of the country’s top neurologists who specialized in headaches could help her.

Danielle’s pain ultimately obliterated her hope and the will to live. She took her life when she was only 17 years old, because she ran out of options.

American Chronic Pain Association Holds Community Events

Penney Cowan, of ACPA, works tirelessly to raise awareness of the signs and symptoms of migraines and to provide a better understanding of what a person can do to cope. She empowers individuals to take an active role in their treatment. “We hope you can join us as the American Chronic Pain Association holds community events to generate awareness about migraines as well as provides a suite of robust tools to help individuals better manage their migraines,” Cowan says.

The event will focus on:

• Why migraines occur,
• Their symptoms,
• Migraine triggers, and
• Managing the pain and improving communication with health care professionals to ensure optimal treatment.

Cowan will present the program on April 21, 2018 in Overland Park, KS; June 9, 2018 in Delray Beach, FL; July 28, 2018 in Harrisburg, PA; August 10 in Los Angeles, CA; and at a second California event (the date and venue has not yet been determined). She will share her personal experiences in living with migraines, as well as the self-management tools that migraine sufferers need to regain control of their lives despite the pain.

The event is free, but you must register for the event you would like to attend. Call 800.533.3231 to register. Follow ACPA on Twitter (@TheACPA) to learn about other locations where she will be speaking.