| Q: |
Why discuss migraine in men, since more women have migraine?
| | A: |
Just because fewer men than women have migraine attacks does not
mean that the condition should be ignored in men. Migraine can be
controlled if accurately diagnosed and aggressively treated. It is
important that both male and female migraine sufferers are educated
about their condition and know that help is available.
|
| Q: |
Is migraine different for men?
| | A: |
Yes, migraine may be very different for men, with the symptoms
often resembling a sinus or allergy problem. When asked why they waited
so long to seek treatment, many male migraine patients say it was
because they thought their headaches were due to one of these
conditions. In addition, men are also less likely to seek help for any
health problem; many men with migraine simply ignore their attacks until
they become so frequent that they interfere with work and social life.
It continues to amaze me that so many men suffer from recurring
disabling headaches without seeking medical help for the problem.
|
| Q: |
Why are men less likely to see a doctor for their migraine?
| | A: |
Men are less likely to go to see a doctor for any condition. Men
are more likely to self-diagnose their migraine as a sinus or allergy
headache because of associated symptoms of tears forming in their eyes
(eye-tearing) or nasal congestion in one nostril. Finally, since
migraine still carries with it a certain social stigma, suggesting that
individuals with migraine are more “stressed” or less able to handle
stress, men may be more reluctant to seek treatment for migraine.
|
| Q: |
Can migraine attacks have different symptoms in men?
| | A: |
Many of the typical symptoms of migraine attacks may be
experienced inconsistently or not at all by men with migraine. They
often experience a frontal headache and may have associated symptoms of
nasal congestion in one nostril and tears forming in one eye (one-sided
tearing). Men often experience irritability during their migraine
attacks; but nausea, vomiting, or increased sensitivity to light and
sound, as often experienced by women, are rare.
|
| Q: |
How often is a sinus headache really a migraine?
| | A: |
One study of nearly 2,400 individuals with “sinus” headache
suggested that nearly 88 percent had migraine or probable migraine. In
this same study, 28 percent reported experiencing a migraine aura. An
aura does not occur with a sinus headache. Many researchers believe that
most people, especially men, would rather believe that they have a
sinus headache than migraine because of the stigma associated with the
latter. It is important that individuals receive an accurate diagnosis
from their doctor because many people who incorrectly diagnose
themselves with sinus headache end up using medications that may worsen
migraine due to medication overuse.
|
| Q: |
Can I have sinus congestion with a migraine attack?
| | A: |
Yes, you can experience sinus congestion with a migraine. For
this reason, migraine is often wrongly diagnosed as a sinus headache.
The sinus congestion associated with a migraine is frequently one-sided
and is often accompanied by tears forming in one eye (one-sided
tearing), a droopy eyelid, and sharp jabs of pain called ice-pick pains.
These same symptoms may be found in other primary headache disorders,
such as cluster headache and paroxysmal hemicrania.
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