Migraine vs. Chronic Migraine

Migraine is a specific type of headache with pain that can last anywhere from 4 hours up to 3 days.

• Pain is usually moderately to severely intense, throbbing or pulsating, and often occurring on 1 side of the head.
• Can be accompanied by nausea and/or vomiting, and sensitivity to light and sound.
• Can become aggravated (get worse) by routine physical activity (e.g., walking or climbing stairs)
• Changes in vision or hearing, called aura, may be present and come just before or just as the migraine begins.

Migraine can be further divided based on how often the headaches occur.

• One type of migraine, known as an episodic migraine, occurs when an individual has fewer than 15 headache days per month, some of these headaches being migraine.
• An individual may be considered to be suffering from chronic migraine when he or she has headaches occurring 15 or more days per month of which 8 days or more have features of migraine, as described above, for at least 3 months.

Have you been living half of every month suffering from debilitating headaches?

If so you may be suffering from Chronic Migraine. There may be many people out there that have Chronic Migraine but have yet to be diagnosed.

Speak with a headache specialist. If you are not sure download this simple-to-use migraine diary to record details of your migraine attacks to share with the doctor.

Chronic Migraine is more common than you think

The estimated worldwide overall prevalence of Chronic Migraine is typically in the range of 1.4% to 2.2%. Using the low end of these estimated global prevalence rates, more than 370,000 adult Canadians 18 years or older may suffer from Chronic Migraine.

“Chronic Migraine is vastly underdiagnosed in Canada, as it is around the world,” says Dr. Jonathan Gladstone, FRCPC, Director of the Canadian Headache Society and a practicing neurology specialist at Cleveland Clinic Canada.

Chronic Migraine can have a significant impact on daily life

People with Chronic Migraine experience a greater impact on their lives than people who have migraines less often (i.e., individuals who suffer from episodic migraine).

It has been shown that people suffering from Chronic Migraine may be more likely than those suffering from fewer migraines, to miss 5 or more days of: work or school, household work or family activities. If you are suffering from chronic migraine, find out more about the available treatment options.