Men and Migraine: Relationships, Work, and Depression

Every once in a while you still come across material that basically considers migraine to be a “women’s disease”. But a recent survey from The Migraine Trust reminds us once again that migraine has a huge impact on the lives of many men.

The survey of over 350 men was conducted in the UK, and focused on quality of life questions. The chart below shows some of the responses, with the top three concerns being the affect of migraine on work (including discrimination at work), on their social life, and on their ability to exercise (which of course affects overall health).

Mental health is also a concern. Respondents mentioned being anxious or worried, depression, and feeling isolated or lonely are key issues.

That last one on the chart, “Don’t Share”, means that a significant amount of men don’t tell anyone about their migraine attacks. Both charts are certainly a reminder that we don’t really know what other people are going through. And it’s another reason why many feel isolated and lonely.

To read more about the study, go to Men get migraine too: How does the condition affect their lives?