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Realizing the Impact of Headaches on your Life
How bad are your headaches? When a migraine strikes, it may seem like the worst pain in the world and you would do anything to stop it. Once the attack is over, you may push the problem out of your mind, hoping you’ve had your last horrible migraine and your life will never again be turned upside down by pain.

Ironically, while coworkers or family members sometimes suspect them of exaggerating their pain, migraine sufferers may tend to deny or underestimate the severity of their illness during their headache–free periods. That denial can create a powerful barrier to finding effective treatment. Studies have shown that only about one–third of U.S. migraine sufferers are receiving medical care at any given point in time. When over–the–counter medications relieve pain and disability they are an excellent option, but many people who rely on self–treatment would benefit from medical care.

The impact questionnaire
The disability resulting from headache (for example, work absenteeism or reduced functioning at work, school or home) is the greatest dollars–and–cents cost associated with this illness. Since level of pain is subjective and hard to measure, a tool for assessing headache–related disability could be quite useful for evaluating the need for treatment and the success of treatment.

Read more: Impact of Headaches on your Life