Migraine at Work Articles

Migraine at Work 101: Employer Guide

Migraine at Work 101: Employer Guide What is migraine? Migraine is a complex neurological disease, not “just a headache.” Symptoms range from light sensitivity, nausea and vomiting, to temporary paralysis and loss of vision. Severe migraine attacks carry a similar disability weight to that of dementia, quadriplegia, and active psychosis. Why Should You Care? Migraine affects 1 in 6 US employees, and is the second leading cause of…

Migraine at Work Program

Improve Your Organization’s Productivity By Addressing Migraine With An Evidence-Based Program Migraine is one of the leading causes of lost productivity due to functional impairment in the workplace, but it can be managed. If migraine really is a big problem why isn’t anyone talking about it? Migraine is a significant issue, yet it's rarely discussed because it is widely misunderstood, leading many employees to learn to entirely avoid complaining about…

Migraine Accommodations Benefit Brain Health for all Employees

How do migraine accommodations benefit brain health for all employees? Sarah reports to her manager, Katherine, that she has been struggling to work with migraine. Sarah is an excellent employee, and Katherine wants to offer support to prevent Sarah from having to leave the company. However, Katherine knows relatively little about migraine and which potential measures can be provided. She worries that providing accommodations may be costly and may…

Mental Health, Migraine, and Burnout in the Workplace

What is the Connection Between Mental Health and Migraine, and How Can This Lead to Burnout in the Workplace? Mental health disorders, migraine, and their connections A mental health disorder, or mental illness, is a medical condition and affects a person’s mood, thinking, or behavior. 1 Common examples include anxiety, depression, and bipolar disorder. Migraine is a neurological disease and a primary headache disorder with symptoms such as headache,…

Migraine is Not “Just a Headache”

Migraine is a neurological disorder whereas headache is a symptom. As an employer, how do you respond when an employee says they have migraine? If it’s one of the following responses, your employees may not feel like they have your support, even if your intentions were good. - “Take an ibuprofen and get back in there!” - “Have you tried drinking more water?” - “Oh, I get headaches, too.” …

Is Migraine a Disability?

How Can Migraine Classify as a Disability in the Workplace? When Hannah first started her position as a corporate lawyer, her migraine disease was largely under control. When a migraine attack would occur, she would be completely out of commision for about three days. Luckily, this only happened a few times per year. Now the attacks are occurring far more frequently. Even at only twice a month, she is…