Men Ignore Migraines: Experts Raise Alarm
Headaches are common and can be extremely disruptive to our daily lives. A terrible pain rages on one side of the skull, and light and noise are almost unbearable. Then nausea to the point of vomiting. If you think of a migraine, you probably have these outcomes in your head.
However, the condition can also manifest itself in other ways. This is particularly true for men. According to the German Brain Foundation, the so-called migraine aura occurs more often in men than in women.
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Migraine in men. How to recognize it? Migraine aura keyVisual disturbances, such as flashes of light, visual field defects, or perception of bright colors, may be part of a migraine aura. Movement, sensory, speech, and consciousness disturbances may also occur. People affected by the aura cannot remember words or experience numbness in the hands or cheeks. Dizziness, impaired coordination, and paralysis on one side may also be associated with it.
Migraine aura is considered a precursor to a migraine attack. It is followed by typical symptoms such as a one-sided, throbbing headache, nausea, vomiting, and photosensitivity.
"However, in men, these characteristic symptoms are often incomplete or slightly different. It is then difficult to make a correct diagnosis," says Prof. Christian Maihöfner, headache expert at the German Brain Foundation. For example, in older men, migraines are often accompanied by bilateral headaches. This is rather unusual for migraines.
Men are less likely to seek help for migrainesAccording to statistics from the German Brain Foundation, 48 out of 100 women suffer from a migraine during their lifetime, compared to 18 out of 100 men.
But a new study (published in January 2025) shows that men are less likely than women to seek medical advice and prefer to endure migraines without medical help. Experts assume that migraines in men often go undiagnosed—partly because they are less likely to be tested for the condition when they go to the doctor's office.
Regardless of gender, anyone who suspects they have a migraine should consult a doctor, as there are ways to treat the condition. To prepare for your visit, you can note in advance how many days a month you have a headache, where and how it occurs, and whether it is accompanied by other symptoms.
The risk of suicide doubles among people with this common conditionMigraines, tension headaches, and post-traumatic headaches can have a significant impact on quality of life. They can even increase the risk of suicide, according to a new study from Denmark. The latest study examined whether people who suffer from headaches have an increased risk of suicide. They analyzed four specific types of headaches. The results are alarming.
The results clearly show that headache disorders are not only physically stressful, but are also associated with increased psychological risk. — Severe headaches can lead to feelings of hopelessness or demoralization, or even worse, we found, explains the study author. You can read more about it HERE .
The article was based on a translation of text from the FITBOOK / Bild.de website.
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