Despite the long-held belief that migraine headache is only a "woman's disease," a recent online survey conducted by the National Headache Foundation (NHF) revealed that men who were diagnosed with headache were most often diagnosed with migraine headaches (36%).
An estimated 7.5 million men in the United States suffer from migraine. Migraine can be a debilitating condition for which treatments are available.
"Unfortunately, many men who are suffering from migraine are not discussing their condition with their healthcare providers," stated Suzanne Simons, Executive Director of the NHF. "It is important that men take the time to talk about their headaches so they receive the appropriate diagnosis and treatment plan."
According to the NHF survey, nearly a third of men who suffer from headaches have not had their headaches diagnosed by a physician. Twenty-four percent reported that they did not visit a doctor about their headaches because they felt they should be able to "tough it out," and an equal number felt that it was not a serious enough condition to warrant a doctor visit. The survey also found that most men with headache obtain their health-related information from their healthcare provider (79%) or the Internet (67%). Of particular interest, fifty-five percent of men with headache had a family history of headache, and of those, fifty-two percent had a mother who had headache.
"It is important for people who suffer from headaches "both men and women "to visit their healthcare providers and discuss their headaches," said Dr. Roger Cady, Vice President and Board member of the NHF. "Headaches can be treated and managed, so there is no need for men to "tough them out."
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