Do you experience recurring headaches accompanied by intense pain and symptoms such as nausea, vomiting or sensitivity to light and sound? If so, you may suffer from migraine, a debilitating neurological disease that affects nearly 40 million Americans. While everyone experiences migraine differently, the impact can disrupt everyday life with attacks lasting from four to 72 hours.
Unfortunately, veterans are more likely to experience migraine and headaches than civilians, according to the Department of Veteran Affairs*. If you think you have migraine, it might be time to talk with your local Veteran Affairs doctor.
Here are some tips to help you get the most of out of your visit:
- Make a list of questions to ask during your appointment
- Be prepared to share your medical and headache history, including prior concussions, exposure to blasts, etc. that occurred during a military tour
- Talk about potential migraine triggers, such as stress, weather or lack of sleep
- Ask about treatment and prevention strategies, including an orally dissolving medication to treat and prevent attacks
- Learn more about resources to help manage migraine, including National Headache Foundation’s “Operation Brainstorm”
Read more about taking control of migraine attacks
*American Migraine Foundation. Veterans and Migraine. Available at: https://americanmigrainefoundation.org/resource-library/veterans-and-migraine/. Accessed September 12, 2022.
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