Migraine in adults
How common are migraines?
Migraines are common. About 1 in 10 people will get a migraine attack in any one year. Nearly 1 in 5 people (18 percent) will have an attack at some point in their life.
1
Source:
Goadsby PJ, Lipton RB, Ferrari MD.
Migraine: current understanding and treatment.
New England Journal of Medicine. 2002; 346: 257-270.
Goadsby PJ, Lipton RB, Ferrari MD.
Migraine: current understanding and treatment.
New England Journal of Medicine. 2002; 346: 257-270.
- Studies show that migraines affect 28 million people in the United States.
Source:
Pace B, Glass RM.
Migraine Headache.
Journal of the American Medical Association. 2000; 284: 2672.
2Source:
Solomon GD, Santanello N.
Impact of migraine and migraine therapy on productivity and quality of life.
Neurology. 55 (supplement 2): S29-S35.
3 - Migraines are about three times more common in women than in men. They affect about 18 percent of women and about 6 percent
of men each year.
Source:
Stewart WF, Lipton RB, Dowson AJ, et al.
Development and testing of the Migraine Disability Assessment (MIDAS) questionnaire to assess headache-related disability.
Neurology. 2001; 56 (supplement 1): 20-28.
4 - For some women, the start of their period each month may trigger an attack. Researchers think this happens because the level
of a
hormones
Hormones are chemicals that are made in certain parts of the body. They travel through the bloodstream and have an effect on other parts of the body. For example, the female sex hormone estrogen is made in a woman's ovaries. Estrogen has many different effects on a woman's body. It makes the breasts grow at puberty and helps control periods. It is also needed to get pregnant.hormone called estradiol drops at this time in a woman's cycle. Attacks linked to themenstrual cycle
A woman's periods are part of her menstrual cycle. This is the regular monthly pattern of events that causes an egg to be released from the ovaries so a woman can get pregnant and causes the bleeding that happens if she does not get pregnant.menstrual cycle are more likely to occur on the first two days of a woman's period.Source:
Stewart WF, Lipton RB, Dowson AJ, et al.
Development and testing of the Migraine Disability Assessment (MIDAS) questionnaire to assess headache-related disability.
Neurology. 2001; 56 (supplement 1): 20-28.
4Source:
Breslau N, Rasmussen BK.
The impact of migraine: epidemiology, risk factors, and co-morbidities.
Neurology. 2001; 56 (supplement): S4-S12.
5 - Many women find that their migraines become less severe or disappear when they are pregnant.
- Migraine seems to be more common among people who are white than among people who are black or Asian. Researchers don't know
why this is.
Source:
Breslau N, Rasmussen BK.
The impact of migraine: epidemiology, risk factors, and co-morbidities.
Neurology. 2001; 56 (supplement): S4-S12.
5 - Children can get migraine attacks, too. Attacks can start at any age, but they usually start in the early-to-mid-teen years.
Source:
Goadsby PJ, Lipton RB, Ferrari MD.
Migraine: current understanding and treatment.
New England Journal of Medicine. 2002; 346: 257-270.
1 Migraine headaches tend to begin earlier in boys than in girls. A study showed that the peak age for a first episode of migraine without aura was 10 to 11 in boys and 14 to 17 in girls. Migraine with aura usually starts earlier, with a peak age of around 5 for boys and 12 to 13 for girls.Source:
Stewart WF, Lipton RB, Dowson AJ, et al.
Development and testing of the Migraine Disability Assessment (MIDAS) questionnaire to assess headache-related disability.
Neurology. 2001; 56 (supplement 1): 20-28.
4Source:
Mannix LK.
Epidemiology and impact of primary headache disorders.
Medical Clinics of North America. 2001; 85: 887-895.
6
Sources for the information on this page:
- Goadsby PJ, Lipton RB, Ferrari MD.Migraine: current understanding and treatment.New England Journal of Medicine. 2002; 346: 257-270.
- Pace B, Glass RM.Migraine Headache.Journal of the American Medical Association. 2000; 284: 2672.
- Solomon GD, Santanello N.Impact of migraine and migraine therapy on productivity and quality of life.Neurology. 55 (supplement 2): S29-S35.
- Stewart WF, Lipton RB, Dowson AJ, et al.Development and testing of the Migraine Disability Assessment (MIDAS) questionnaire to assess headache-related disability.Neurology. 2001; 56 (supplement 1): 20-28.
- Breslau N, Rasmussen BK.The impact of migraine: epidemiology, risk factors, and co-morbidities.Neurology. 2001; 56 (supplement): S4-S12.
- Mannix LK.Epidemiology and impact of primary headache disorders.Medical Clinics of North America. 2001; 85: 887-895.
This information was last updated on May 12, 2009
This information is for educational use only, and is not a substitute for prompt professional medical advice. Readers should always consult a physician or other professional for advice and treatment.
© BMJ Publishing Group Limited 2009. All rights reserved.
© BMJ Publishing Group Limited 2009. All rights reserved.
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