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The economic toll of migraines is often mentioned in terms of labor productivity; for example, the Migraine Research Foundation explains that more than 100 million work days are lost in the United States each year due to employees taking time off to recover from migraine episodes. What about the financial strain that migraine patients must deal with as a result of their condition?
American pop music celebrity Selena Gomez is known for her background as a Disney actress, her hit songs and her tumultuous romance with Canadian teen heartthrob Justin Bieber. Gomez recently joined the ranks of celebrities such as Seal, Lady Gaga and Toni Braxton, who have all been diagnosed with systemic lupus erythematosus.
Epidural anesthesia is applied in nearly half of all births in the United States and the United Kingdom; however, there has been a surging interest in natural, drug-free deliveries in the last few years. Many expecting mothers are now considering giving birth at home and with the assistance of midwives and doulas. Such is the case of singer Kimberley Walsh of the pop musical group Girls Aloud, who has combined singing lessons with breathing exercises to help her during labor.
Patients who deal with chronic migraines often feel as if they are sidelined from life by their conditions. For professional athletes such as Dwayne Wade of the Miami Heat and Terrell Davis of the Denver Broncos, this feeling was a reality on more than one occasion.
Ongoing clinical research studies into the causes of migraines and possible treatments are revealing more options for prevention of episodes. The two major pharmaceutical strategies for the migraine condition are abortive and preventative. The former involves the use of medications that can bring quick pain relief when taken before or during a headache episode; the latter focuses on medicinal regimes that can forestall auras and triggers.
The way business is carried out in the pharmaceutical industry has become extremely dynamic. For pharmaceutical giants such as GlaxoSmithKline, a multinational company based in England, mergers and acquisitions are no longer attractive. The real money is in offering investors to hold some of the rights to certain medications. Such is the case of Imitrex, a triptan drug often prescribed for the treatment of migraines.
As with most other chronic health issues, migraine episodes can strike anytime and thus create a sense of dread and terrible anxiety for patients who feel as if they are forced to live with their adverse conditions. One of the most dreadful aspects of living with migraines is the possibility of a debilitating attack taking place far from home, in an unfamiliar place and during a difficult situation.
A national research study conducted by a major American health services company in 2013 aims to investigate alternative treatment options for patients who live with chronic migraine conditions. One of the practitioners who participated in the study is a Pennsylvania chiropractor who reported that she performs close to 5,000 treatments per year on patients who seek relief from headaches.
