The Secret to Living Well When You Have Migraines & Headaches
What You Don’t Know About Migraines Can Hurt You
If you, or someone you know, have migraine headaches, you need to read this book → Living Well With Migraine Disease and Headaches: What Your Doctor Doesn’t Tell You That You Need to Know by Teri Robert.
I first became aware of this book when a migraineur/massage therapist/naturopath that I follow on Twitter posted a link to an interview with the author and 3 doctors who specialize in treating migraines. Ms. Robert was the only lay person on the interview panel. She was also the only migraineur, and she also happens to be a patient advocate for other migraineurs. The interview (both audio and supplementary text) was fascinating and, not surprisingly, this book was one of the resources listed after the article. The most fascinating part of the interview was that not once, not a single time, did any of the doctors correct or disagree with anything she said. And that’s saying something, because a lot of what she had to say went against conventional wisdom.
As it turns out, a lot of what we know about migraines is wrong! For instance, migraine headaches are NOT vascular headaches like many of us were taught; they may have a vascular component or they may not. Instead, migraine headaches are just one symptom of migraine disease, which is a neurological disorder. Some people with migraine disease don’t get migraine headaches at all. Let your brain twist on that for a while.
As if that isn’t enough, you’ll learn that there are many symptoms that we don’t normally associate with migraines which can be a manifestation of the disease. The one that sticks in my memory is “unexplained” vertigo. This one caught my attention because I see several clients a year for myofascial release (MFR) sessions who have vertigo that doctors have been unable to find a reason for. I still do MFR for the ears but now I refer them to this book and ask them to talk to their doctor about the possibility of migraine disease.
This book will tell you everything you need to know about your headaches and migraines, including how to advocate for yourself when needed. It’s chock-full of information, advice, and resources. Best of all, it’s written in an easy-to-read, conversational style. She’s honest about the immense complexity of the disease, the variety of symptoms, and the huge spectrum that this disease spans. There are no platitudes in this book, only good solid advice and information.
Here’s a short list of some of the topics she covers in the book:
- What are headaches and migraine disease?
- The importance of proper diagnosis
- Migraine disease: Migraines are not “just bad headaches”
- Cluster headaches
- Rebound, aka medication overuse headaches
- Other headache disorders
- Your role on your healthcare team
- Choosing the right doctor
- Trigger identification and management
- Preventive therapies
- Abortive therapies
- Emergency care and pain management
- Complementary therapies
- Support: As Important as good medical care
- When those close to you don’t understand
- Advocacy issues: Knowing and claiming your rights
- If your situation seems hopeless
If you only buy 1 book to help you manage your migraines, this should be that book!
(Disclaimer: I do not get paid to endorse anyone’s books; I only recommend books that I have personally read and that have made a difference in my life or the life of someone close to me.)
Do you get migraine headaches? What is you biggest challenge? Let me know in the comments.
