This article has been online since June, but I’m just now reading it. It’s on TimesCall.com, which is supposed to be “News and information for Longmont and Colorado.
The title of the article is “Migraines can be controlled,” something I happen to believe is pretty much true. BUT, the article is full of misstatements and incorrect information. Allow me to list them, from the top of the article down…
- It’s the National Headache FOUNDATION, not Association.
- The article says there are 29.5 million American suffering from Migraine. That statistic is SO old. The current figure is more than 36 million.
- The article states, “The difference between a tension headache and a Migraine is based primarily on the severity of the pain.” BUZZZZZZZZZZZZ. WRONG!! Migraine is a genetic neurological disease, tension headaches are NOT. A Migraine technically is not a headache anyway. Plenty of people have Migraines with NO headache. The headache, when there is one, is ONE SYMPTOM of the Migraine attack.
- The terms “headache” and Migraine” are used interchangeably in this article. They are NOT interchangeable.
- A doctor is quoted as saying, “Anybody who takes pain pills more than once a week is going to have more MIgraines. Hmmmmmm. Wonder what he bases that statement on. Nothing I have ever found confirms that. Does he mean rebound? If so, most people can take pain pills two or three days a week if necessary.
Now, at first I wondered about this article, but when you get near the end, you find what’s going on. This is a pitch for a book and someone’s biofeedback sessions. I don’t know if the reporter owed this author a favor or what, but this isn’t a news article. It’s more an infomercial.
There IS something really great about this article — the comments posted by educated patients and patient advocate Teri Robert. Ya gotta love it when well spoken people talk back!
So, even on supposed news sites, we have to watch for the B.S. and the sales pitches, and especially for WRONG information. This particular article was written by Magdalena Wegrzyn. Magdalena, do your homework better next time!!
Best,
Arabella
PS: Shortly after I finished this entry, I discovered that Rain Gem has written about it too. Seems I’m in good company.
Very very true..migraines are a neurological problem and disorder. NO cure just managment at the current time. Tension is strictly musculoskelatal spasming of scalp muscles or neck muscle at the back of the head.
However, when the neck muscles spasm they can feed back through the spinal cord to the brain and can trigger a migraine..complex isn’t it!
Actual current figures for migraine are closing in on 45 million and I think you are right about the doctor..perhaps he meant taking abortive medications several times a week will provoke more headaches..that part is true and is now known as triptan rebound syndrome.
Great post Arabella!
Great blog, Arabella!
I saw and commented on that article too. Not that it did any good as far as getting it corrected goes. But, you’re right. It was great to see people commenting!
Teri