My migraines last up to six weeks, but often they are not taken seriously
A WOMAN who suffers from migraine attacks that can last as long as six weeks has opened up about her condition.
Kerry Spalding, from Hinckley, suffers from chronic migraine and says the condition has often left her bed-bound and has a severe impact on her day-to-day life.
She is speaking out following new research which has revealed that women are more negatively affected by migraines than men.
A dedicated charity, The Migraine Trust, conducted a nationwide survey of over 2,000 people to uncover the extent to which the severe headaches impact upon mental health, overall health and family and working life.
The neurological condition affects one in seven people and symptoms include painful headaches, disturbed vision, sensitivity to light, sound and smells, and nausea.
Migraine affects three times as many women as men, and the survey also found that women consistently reported a higher negative impact across their life than men. They vary from person to person, but typically attacks last from four to 72 hours.
But for Kerry, her pain can last up to six weeks at a time and has a huge impact on her life.
She said: “We have to work to pay our bills. We have to care for our children. If we’re in pain, we cannot do either.”
She said in her experience neurologists have “little to no compassion around this huge issue and little to no advice about how to get around it.
“I can suffer a migraine attack for as long as six weeks and become bed-bound, but you can only take abortive pain relief for 10 days maximum each month, which makes coping with the pain incredibly difficult.
“I’ve been to A&E a number of times begging for help, but got offered paracetamol.”
Kerry has recently been in contact with her local MP, Dr Luke Evans, to advocate for better migraine healthcare in Leicestershire and the UK as a whole.
Dr Evans said: “Thank you to Kerry from the Migraine Trust for all her work in raising migraine as an issue, just how bad it can be and how common it actually is.
“In my role as a GP before becoming an MP, I saw first-hand that for some, migraines are debilitating, and can have a real impact on day-to-day life.
“Migraine Awareness Week is the perfect opportunity to help raise awareness of the condition, the symptoms, how it can be managed, as well as information for those supporting someone living with migraines.
“If you think you might be suffering it is worth looking at their support, but also if you are concerned to speak to your GP.
“A huge well done to Kerry for all of her hard work on the campaign, and I was pleased to be able to play my part to help make a difference.”
The new research was launched during Migraine Awareness Week earlier this month. The awareness week sets out to expose the burden on the 10 million people in the UK who live with migraine. Calling for more understanding of the impact of migraine on those with it, Rob Music, chief executive of The Migraine Trust, said: “While many know that migraine is an excruciatingly painful condition to live with, they don’t realise the very serious impact it has on the lives of people who have it.
“It affects their relationships, their mental health and their ability to work.
“This is made harder by a lack of recognition of how hard migraine is to live with. It is too often dismissed as ‘just a headache.’
“A better understanding of migraine across society, in workplaces and the healthcare system won’t cure migraine.
“But it would be an important first step in helping people live with its impact.”