A typical case
No one who doesn't suffer from migraines can describe the suffering as well as someone who does. To give healthy people an idea of what migraines mean, we'll let a patient speak for herself and listen carefully to her account:
Anneliese
“For years I've hoped that doctors could help me with my headaches. I'm 54 years old now, have a harmonious marriage, and a satisfying job. Since I was 10, I've had recurring headaches. The attacks have become more intense with age, the pain harder and more throbbing. Most often, the pain occurs on the left side of my head. The back of my head, hairline, forehead, and temples are always affected, and sometimes the base of my shoulder and my entire head as well.”.
The attacks occur particularly on weekends. I then have to stay in bed the entire weekend, close the curtains, and I can't eat for two days because I'm so miserable. The headaches usually start in the morning between 3 and 5 a.m., regardless of whether I'm working or on vacation, regardless of whether I have a lot or a little work to do, regardless of whether I eat regularly or irregularly, regardless of whether it's raining, sunny, cold, warm, or the weather is changing. I generally avoid alcohol, cigarettes, spices, wine, and chocolate.
I enjoy eating sweets, like compote, fruit, and cake; sometimes I even crave sweets. When I vomit, I feel a little better, but the pain doesn't go away. I've been taking medication since I was 10 years old. EEG and CT scans haven't been able to reveal the cause.
Physical therapy and massages provided some short-term relief, but acupuncture had no effect. The headache attacks rarely last only 24 hours, usually 48 hours, and increasingly often up to 72 hours. The attacks are becoming more frequent; these headaches now occur about once a week.
I constantly have to take sick leave because of my headaches; last year, I was even off work for six months because the attacks were so frequent that I simply couldn't continue. A six-week course of treatment with injections, physical therapy, mud packs, and relaxation therapy was beneficial, but the headaches persist. And the cause couldn't be determined. Why do I have to live with this torture? Isn't there a way out? What can I do? Where can I turn for help? I'm desperate. I can't and won't go on living like this…