United States: Migraine is a painful headache that affects over a billion people around the world. As Pfizer is working to learn more about why migraines happen and how to help people feel better.
In their first article, they talked about how people currently treat migraines and what is working well and also discussed some of the problems that make it hard for people to get the right treatment they need.
In their entry, they are asking for changes that could help those with migraine.
As reported by the Pfizer.com, think of struggling with a debilitating, painful condition — and then fighting to retain the treatments your doctor prescribed. For millions of people who live with migraine, this is the reality, a disease that ranks as the second leading cause of disability world-wide, and the leading cause of disability for young women. However, with this, migraine is frequently sidestepped, preventing many from getting the care we so desperately need.
They partnered with four incredible women who live with migraine, actress Kat Dennings, professional ballet dancer Alicia Mae Holloway, foster parent Laura, and lifestyle influencer Torri Ann Webb, in order to bring more awareness to these challenges. Then they told their stories in order to highlight migraine as an invisible disease, barriers to treatment and that we urgently need to change.
The Invisible Struggle
Unfortunately, as anyone who has had a migraine knows one of the most frustrating things is how invisible it can be to the people around you. “However, Alicia Mae Holloway explains, ‘Many don’t realize how many people are affected by migraine since it can be an invisible illness that people choose to put up no matter how bad the pain.’” People like me that are living with migraine know that migraine attacks can be absolutely debilitating.”
Migraine’s “invisible” nature leaves many to go it alone, often at work, in the family and at home while juggling family, work and personal demands. Laura, who juggles being a foster parent alongside managing her migraine, shares: I’ve always taken steps to help reduce my migraine attacks, but as a parent and foster parent, becoming more interested in getting the best treatment I can for them, it was imperative that I find something better for me. I’ve been on a long foster of testing things and trying and testing and my doctor has tried everything.”
Stigma and barriers to Access
Many people here with this migraine problem face significant barriers when trying to access the treatments they need and one of the major hurdles or can say the obstacle is step therapy which is a process where the patients are required to try and fail on the other medications before being allowed access to the treatment of their healthcare provider which is originally prescribed.
This hereby often leads to the unnecessary delays in the care and can prolong the suffering of those who are already dealing with this serious pain.