“Migraines are headaches, even if you don’t have any” – with this thesis, Erich Kästner already declared all migraine patients to be malingerers in his book “Pünktchen und Anton”. In the case of women, who actually suffer from migraines more frequently than men, the sometimes excruciating pain is increasingly accepted as a genuine complaint. But men have a really hard time. In professional life, they are often regarded as shirkers. Around ten million people in Germany are affected by migraine. Although it is mostly women who suffer from the hemiplegic, pulsating pain, more than a third of patients are men. The symptoms of migraine are an enormous burden for those affected, but also for their relatives. During a migraine attack, a normal daily routine is often unthinkable. For many men, migraine is a major problem, especially at work. Once colleagues know about it, sufferers do not have to wait for ridicule. Migraine patients are considered mentally unstable, unable to work under pressure and unfit for a career.
Migraine is even less accepted in men
Many men therefore conceal their complaints as best they can and blame other illnesses. Often they do not admit their illness to themselves and only in rare cases do they seek treatment.
“This problem is generally given with men”, stresses Dr. Dietmar Krause from the Forum Schmerz im Deutschen Grünen Kreuz e. V., Marburg. Men often go to the doctor too late or not at all. “For migraine patients, this behavior can have consequences,” says the Marburg pain expert. Frequent migraine attacks can be a risk factor for a chronification of the complaints.
Individual treatment
“Today, individualized treatment can be tailored for both acute therapy and prevention,” Krause continues. In the case of mild migraine attacks, there is nothing to be said against taking over-the-counter painkillers, in the view of the German Migraine and Headache Society (DMKG). In the case of frequent and long-lasting migraine attacks, however, preventive medication is advisable. This will reduce the frequency, severity and duration of attacks.
“The most important thing is not to shy away from going to the doctor,” says pain expert Krause. With a personal therapy in the luggage, everyday life can also be better mastered for migraine men.
