Latest news with #MigraineAndHeadacheAustralia
ABC News
05-08-2025
- Health
- ABC News
One in three women suffering migraines
Sabra Lane: Migraines are much more common in Australia than previously thought, with one in three women suffering from them. That's the headline finding of what's believed to be the first comprehensive analysis of the neurological condition in Australia. Advocates say it doesn't get enough attention. National Health Equity reporter Caitlyn Gribbin. Caitlyn Gribbin: Kate May starts each morning with a similar routine. Kate May: Getting out of the house, walking, stretching my legs. I have a little dog that I take on a walk every day and those sort of things kind of get me together. Caitlyn Gribbin: This approach, Kate says, makes tackling each day a little easier. The Melbourne woman lives with chronic illnesses, one of them being chronic migraine, a complex neurological condition. Kate May: Quite acute migraine symptoms, dizziness, pain on one side of your face, nausea, fatigue, all those sorts of things. For me those symptoms just kind of happen every day and blur together. There's not really a break in it. Caitlyn Gribbin: A new survey is shedding more light on the prevalence of migraine, particularly in women. Sarah White: I did not realise that we would have up to one in three women experiencing migraine in Australia. Caitlyn Gribbin: Sarah White is the Chief Executive of Jean Hailes for Women's Health. The organisation partnered with Migraine and Headache Australia for what's believed to be the first comprehensive Australian analysis of migraine rates in women. They wanted to look closer at the disease affecting 4.9 million Australians. Three quarters of sufferers are women. In fact, migraine is the leading cause of disability worldwide for women aged 18 to 49. Sarah White: Eight in ten women in the survey talking about how their work's been affected, physical health has been affected. We've had a lot of discussion in Australia which has been incredibly welcome about having things like menstrual leave or menopause leave or flexible working provisions for women's menstrual and menopause issues in the workplace. What this report is doing is saying, well, hang on a minute, women's health is not just about menstrual and menopause issues. Caitlyn Gribbin: A 2018 Deloitte report estimated migraine costs the Australian economy $35.7 billion annually. So why is the brain disorder more common in women than men? Experts say it's largely thought to be related to sex hormones as well as genetic, environmental and social factors. More than 3,600 women participated in the Jean Hailes survey earlier this year. Its findings, Alfred Hospital neurologist Emma Foster says, are eye-opening. Emma Foster: I think this might be a bit of a surprise perhaps to people who aren't in the migraine space. I think this really draws attention to how incredibly common it is. Caitlyn Gribbin: Experts previously estimated around 20 per cent of Australian women were affected by the condition. Kate May hopes the survey will help grow understanding of migraine, which she says is far more than just a bad headache. Kate May: The amount of times I've been told that's just stress, you're just not coping very well and that leads to this real under-recognition of what's going on and puts up barriers in support and treatments that can actually help us. Sabra Lane: It's Kate May who lives with chronic migraine, ending Caitlyn Gribbin's report.
RNZ News
04-08-2025
- Health
- RNZ News
Migraines are far more common in Australian women than previously thought, survey reveals
By Caitlyn Gribbin , ABC Kate May is taking back control of her life after years of living with migraines. Photo: ABC News / Kyle Harley Getting daily migraines makes normal things like playing sport, socialising and working full time difficult for Kate May. But May, 30, prefers to focus on what she can do, like walking her dog, as she takes back control of her life. "I [am] embracing and accepting that as a normal part of my life, but not making it central to who I am," May said. She said this approach made living with migraine - the leading cause of disability worldwide for women aged 18-49 - more achievable. And a new survey has revealed the prevalence of the neurological disease is far worse in Australian women than experts previously estimated. The survey, conducted by health organisation Jean Hailes for Women's Health, which partnered with Migraine and Headache Australia, is believed to be the first comprehensive Australian analysis of migraine rates in women. It found one in three Australian women who had been diagnosed with migraine experienced at least one in the past three months. A further 13 percent reported recently experiencing undiagnosed migraine. Their symptoms included throbbing, pulsating pain, light and sound sensitivity, nausea, vomiting, dizziness and brain fog. "I did not realise that we would have up to one in three women experiencing migraine in Australia," Jean Hailes chief executive Sarah White said. "And there's a further one in 10 who have ... had an undiagnosed migraine attack in the past three months." There isn't a cure for migraine, but it can be managed with lifestyle changes, treatments and support. When managing your triggers: Experts previously estimated around 20 percent of Australian women were affected by the condition. "This data does suggest that the problem with migraine is worse than we had expected," Dr White said. More than 3600 women participated in the online survey earlier this year. Alfred Hospital neurologist Emma Foster, who was not involved in the study, said its findings were "eye opening". "I think this really draws attention to how incredibly common it is," Dr Foster said. According to Migraine and Headache Australia, 4.9 million Australians experience migraine, with three-quarters of sufferers women. Dr Foster said the condition was "a leading cause of disability". "Migraine is far more than a bad headache, it's a neurological disease and we are considering it at the moment ... as a disorder of sensory processing. "The attacks last between four to 72 hours. It's a very distinct type of headache that's accompanied by additional symptoms that can be … even more debilitating than the severe pain." Dr White said migraine had significant consequences for Australian women. "We have eight in 10 women in the survey talking about how their work's been affected. Eight in 10 women talking about how physical health has been affected. "Fifty percent of the women talking about how migraine affected their confidence and self esteem. These are pretty big issues." Dr Foster said this was largely thought to be related to sex hormones, as well as genetic, environmental and social factors. "Very often, women will begin to report migraine around puberty with the onset of the periods and ... often times the migraine gets worse a day or two just prior to the period starting or within a day or two after. "That corresponds with the rapid drop in oestrogen and progesterone levels ... and just prior to the menopause, where the ovaries start winding down a little bit and the hormone levels begin to drop. That's often another time in a woman's life when she definitely notices changes in the migraine." Dr Foster said genetics could also play a role. "Musculoskeletal tension or injuries can sometimes set off migraine for people who are susceptible," she said. Fluorescent lights can also trigger the condition, as can noisy environments and strong smells. May, who lives with chronic illnesses and pain, including chronic migraine, said there was still a lot of misunderstanding about the condition. "I don't think people think that young women can get quite unwell. They just think maybe we're complaining or being a bit dramatic or something," she said. "I want to say that young women can get quite unwell and the data shows that this is something that is happening significantly to working age women." She said medication, Botox injections and nerve blocks have helped. Dr White said a 2018 Deloitte report estimated migraine cost the Australian economy $35.7 billion ($NZ39.1b) annually. "(We need to) have a conversation that gets to whether we're funding research at the sufficient level, whether we've got workplace provisions that might help women with migraine," she said. She hoped the new data would open up more conversations about migraine. "We've had a lot of discussion in Australia, which has been incredibly welcome, about having things like menstrual leave or menopause leave or flexible working provisions for women's, menstrual and menopause issues in the workplace. "What this report is doing is saying, well, hang on a minute. Women's health is not just about menstrual and menopause issues. In fact, we have another condition here that really does affect women." -ABC
ABC News
04-08-2025
- Health
- ABC News
Migraines are far more common in Australian women than previously thought, survey reveals
Getting daily migraines makes normal things like playing sport, socialising and working full time difficult for Kate May. But Kate, 30, prefers to focus on what she can do, like walking her dog, as she takes back control of her life. "I [am] embracing and accepting that as a normal part of my life, but not making it central to who I am," Kate said. She said this approach made living with migraine – the leading cause of disability worldwide for women aged 18-49 – more achievable. And a new survey has revealed the prevalence of the neurological disease is far worse in Australian women than experts previously estimated. The survey, conducted by health organisation Jean Hailes for Women's Health, which partnered with Migraine and Headache Australia, is believed to be the first comprehensive Australian analysis of migraine rates in women. It found one in three Australian women who had been diagnosed with migraine experienced at least one in the past three months. A further 13 per cent reported recently experiencing undiagnosed migraine. Their symptoms included throbbing, pulsating pain, light and sound sensitivity, nausea, vomiting, dizziness and brain fog. "I did not realise that we would have up to one in three women experiencing migraine in Australia," Jean Hailes chief executive Sarah White said. "And there's a further one in 10 who have … had an undiagnosed migraine attack in the past three months." There isn't a cure for migraine, but it can be managed with lifestyle changes, treatments and support. When managing your triggers: Source: Jean Hailes Experts previously estimated around 20 per cent of Australian women were affected by the condition. "This data does suggest that the problem with migraine is worse than we had expected," Ms White said. More than 3,600 women participated in the online survey earlier this year. Alfred Hospital neurologist Emma Foster, who was not involved in the study, said its findings were "eye opening". "I think this really draws attention to how incredibly common it is," Dr Foster said. According to Migraine and Headache Australia, 4.9 million Australians experience migraine, with three-quarters of sufferers women. Dr Foster said the condition was 'a leading cause of disability'. 'Migraine is far more than a bad headache, it's a neurological disease and we are considering it at the moment … as a disorder of sensory processing. 'The attacks last between four to 72 hours. It's a very distinct type of headache that's accompanied by additional symptoms that can be … even more debilitating than the severe pain.' Ms White said migraine had significant consequences for Australian women. Do you have a story to share? Email "We have eight in 10 women in the survey talking about how their work's been affected. Eight in 10 women talking about how physical health has been affected. "Fifty per cent of the women talking about how migraine affected their confidence and self esteem. These are pretty big issues." Dr Foster said this was largely thought to be related to sex hormones, as well as genetic, environmental and social factors. "Very often, women will begin to report migraine around puberty with the onset of the periods and … often times the migraine gets worse a day or two just prior to the period starting or within a day or two after. "That corresponds with the rapid drop in oestrogen and progesterone levels … and just prior to the menopause, where the ovaries start winding down a little bit and the hormone levels begin to drop. That's often another time in a woman's life when she definitely notices changes in the migraine." Dr Foster said genetics could also play a role. "Musculoskeletal tension or injuries can sometimes set off migraine for people who are susceptible," she said. Fluorescent lights can also trigger the condition, as can noisy environments and strong smells. Kate May, who lives with chronic illnesses and pain, including chronic migraine, said there was still a lot of misunderstanding about the condition. "I don't think people think that young women can get quite unwell. They just think maybe we're complaining or being a bit dramatic or something," she said. "I want to say that young women can get quite unwell and the data shows that this is something that is happening significantly to working age women." She said medication, Botox injections and nerve blocks have helped. Dr White said a 2018 Deloitte report estimated migraine cost the Australian economy $35.7 billion annually. "(We need to) have a conversation that gets to whether we're funding research at the sufficient level, whether we've got workplace provisions that might help women with migraine," she said. She hoped the new data would open up more conversations about migraine. "We've had a lot of discussion in Australia, which has been incredibly welcome, about having things like menstrual leave or menopause leave or flexible working provisions for women's, menstrual and menopause issues in the workplace. "What this report is doing is saying, well, hang on a minute. Women's health is not just about menstrual and menopause issues. In fact, we have another condition here that really does affect women."
