Men and migraines: quitters, lazybones

“Migraines are headaches, even if you don’t have any.” – with this thesis, Erich Kästner explained all migraine patients as simulants in his book “Pünktchen und Anton”. Women are more likely to get migraines than men; the sometimes excruciating pain is increasingly accepted as a genuine complaint. But men have it hard. In professional life, they are often seen as slackers. Around ten million people in Germany are affected by migraines. Although predominantly women suffer from the pulsating pain on one side, more than a third of the patients are men. The symptoms of migraines are an enormous burden for those affected, but also for their families. A regular daily routine is often unthinkable during a migraine attack. For many men, migraines are a significant problem, especially at work. Once the colleagues know, those affected do not have to wait for the ridicule. Migraine patients are considered to be mentally unstable, not resilient and unsuitable for a career.

In men, migraines are even less accepted.

Many men, therefore, hide their symptoms as best they can and pretend they have other illnesses. They often do not admit their illness to themselves and only rarely seek treatment.

“This problem is generally present in men,” emphasizes Dr. Dietmar Krause from the Pain Forum in the German Green Cross e. V., Marburg. Men often go to the doctor too late or not at all. “This behaviour can have consequences for migraine patients,” says the Marburg pain expert. Frequent migraine attacks can be a risk factor for chronic symptoms.

Individual treatment

“Today, individual treatment can be tailored for acute therapy and prevention,” Krause continues. From the point of view of the German Migraine and Headache Society (DMKG), there is nothing to be said against taking over-the-counter painkillers for mild migraine attacks. In the case of frequent and long-lasting migraine attacks, however, preventive medication makes sense. This reduces the frequency, severity, and duration of attacks.

“The most important thing is not to shy away from going to the doctor,” says pain expert Krause. With personal therapy in hand, everyday life can also be better mastered for migraine men.