When it comes to Migraine, language REALLY matters. As a Migraine advocate, I choose my language carefully.
I do not say “migraines” because it does not reflect my experience living with a complex neurological disorder that impacts me ALL the time. For example, on a daily basis, during the interictal phase (symptoms that occur between attacks), I can experience brain fog, pain in response to sensory input, nausea, fatigue and referred pain.
Let’s compare this to another neurological disorder—Epilepsy. Someone living with Epilepsy lives with it all the time and experiences Epileptic seizures or attacks when triggered. We don’t refer to this as “epliepses”. Migraine disease works the same way!
Moreover, saying “migraines” implies Migraine is an acute condition which in turn delays treatment for so many people! It is the main reason I did not start treatment until I was in my 30s even though I lived with Migraine since childhood. I thought I was living with a repetitive acute condition. And when you live with untreated Migraine disease—it can progress. I went from episodic as a child, to chronic as a teen to severe daily attacks as an adult.
I didn’t realize how much I was impacted by the stigma of Migraine until I became educated in Migraine disease at age 34 in 2020 and changed my own language. Breaking the stigma can start with us—the people living with it!