Migraine at Work: 3 Key Problems?

A new study is looking at just how migraine and other headache disorders affect us at work. Let’s see if you agree.

Now, we all know that sometimes you have to miss a day of work due to migraine. But let’s say you’re able to soldier on ahead. How does migraine actually affect your work?

A study report, published in Denmark in January, suggested three things:

1. Memory – the ability to remember could be a major challenge in any type of work.
2. Quick Decisions – people with a migraine attack often have a hard time making quick decisions.
3. Physical Work – not only is mental work a challenge, hard physical work can be much harder during an attack.

Although these were the three key issues, the study noted a couple of other common problems.

• Symptoms of Depression. As we’ve noted in the past, these aren’t necessarily “caused” by headaches or migraine. However, depression and migraine do often go together.
• Muscle/Joint Pain. For many, migraine symptoms may include “full body pain”. In other words, headache pain is very common, but pain and weakness in other parts of the body are also happening at the same time. It’s helpful for people without migraine to understand this – migraine is a whole-body issue.

Naturally, proper treatment can help you overcome the attacks themselves. But migraine and other headache disorders are still in the world – so are there ways to work around these three challenges?

The study authors suggest – and I agree – that flexibility is a key. Flexibility on the part of both the employer and employee.

Now, some jobs offer very little flexibility. Not everyone has the luxury of choosing which days to work, and how much to work, and what to work on.

That being said, most jobs can be somewhat flexible, especially if employers and employees work together.

Here are some examples:

• Is there a quiet, isolated room that you could work in for a while?
• Could more “rote” tasks be done today, leaving the mental work for tomorrow?
• Could a co-worker take on some of the more physical work today, while you do some lighter work?
• Could the lighting be adjusted?
• Are breaks flexible, so that you can get needed medication, and stay hydrated? A stretch break? A walk outside?

A little brainstorming and we could come up with many more.

Employers who are willing to work with employees can help bring out the best in everyone. It’s not just people with migraine – the truth is, everyone has their strengths and limitations. How can we help lessen the weaknesses and enhance the strengths of others?

What do you think about these three things? Would you add to, or take away from the list? How have you learned to work around these things, or help others at your workplace?

For more on this study, visit the website of the University of Copenhagen – Overlooked disease: Tens of thousands of people have problems at work