Busy WomenWith Migraine Face More Than Just A Headache (NAPSA)—Women today are busier than ever. The increased responsibilities of balancing work, family activities and homelife leave little time for anything else—yet there is a debilitating condition that affects millions of American women, a condition that often leaves them unable to perform even the most simple tasks. The condition is migraine and it affects nearly 28 million Americans, of which about 70 percent are women—women whoare too busy to be affected by migraine. Womenlike Jennifer Day, wife of PGA TOURprofessional Glen Day and a member of the TOUR WIVES Association, Inc. (TWA), as well as a migraine sufferer. The TWAis an organization comprised of professional golf players’ wives, who conduct local fund-raising and outreach activities geared toward children, families and women. “Between managing my own business, making our flight and hotel reservations for each tournament, keeping up with household chores and the lives of my children, and constantly traveling, there is just no time to be consumed by a migraine,” said Jennifer Day. “The key to living a pro- ductive life as a migraine sufferer is to find the right treatment for the pain. This is the only way I have found to help me keep up with my busylifestyle while onthe-go.” For many women, prescription medications called “triptans” help them to manage their migraine headaches. Triptans are the first medications designed to specifically treat migraine headaches. Unlike over-the-counter remedies, triptans can relieve the severe pain of migraine as well as the nausea andsensitivity to light and sound that often accompanyit. “It is important for these women to recognize that their frequent headaches arelikely to be migraine. Not every migraine is severe, but often even slight or ee R W, L & Cn Vp So x CIA*” 4 6 moderate headaches can escalate into a severe and disabling condition,” explains Dr. Jan Lewis Brandes of the Nashville Neuroscience Group and clinical instructor at the Department of Neurology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine. “Migraine can be a very debilitating condition and women can dramatically benefit by treating their attacks with appropriate medications.” How debilitating is it? In the U.S., migraine sufferers are bedridden for more than three million days each year, resulting in an estimated loss of productivity between $5.6 and $17.2 billion. The condition disrupts family life and can even force sufferers to cancel business and social activities. Migraine also poses an emotional burden, as sufferers say that no one understands how painful their migraine headachesare. Fortunately for busy women like Jennifer Day, triptans can play an important role in effectively relieving their headache pain when used as part of a headache management program developed by patients and their doctor. People whose headaches are disabling, last between four and 72 hours, or are accompanied by nausea or sensitivity to light or sound, should consider consulting a physician or healthcare provider to be screened for migraine. Visit www.migraine-disability.net for more information.
