7 Things To Never Say To A Migraine Sufferer

"I get headaches, too."

1. "Did you take some ibuprofen?"

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Migraines are excruciating. Over-the-counter pain meds may help slightly take the edge off for some people, but most migraine sufferers need some serious prescription meds to even begin dampening the wrecking ball repeatedly smashing into their skull.

2. "You look fine."

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You may be trying to sound nice, but this can come off as belittling or even minimizing the utter agony of a migraine. Some migraine sufferers try extremely hard to function and appear normal on the outside while an invisible vice is squeezing their temples.

3. "Is it really that bad?"

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Yes. Intensely, cripplingly, unbearably bad. In fact, many migraines are also accompanied by additional symptoms like vomiting, visual disturbances, numbness or even temporary paralysis.

4. "Are you sure you can't just (insert activity) for a little bit?"

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Does it involve light, sound, smell, thinking or any physical movement? If the answer is yes, it's probably not a manageable activity during a migraine. Even after it's over, many people have a "migraine hangover" a.k.a. postdrome. So, just plan to cancel plans for the day and maybe even the following day, too.

5. "Have you tried (insert diet, exercise, health tactic)?"

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"Are you drinking enough water?" might be my personal most-hated one. No shade on water, but it's not a fix-all miracle liquid. Chances are, anyone who's had a migraine has already tried every preventative technique in the book, from drinking more water to sleeping more to stress management techniques. Each person's migraine triggers are different and complex and simple health "tricks" are likely not going to cut it.

6. "Just do something to distract yourself."

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While the distraction method may work for things lower on the pain scale, migraines are literally debilitating. Not to mention, light and noise just add to the pain. So, the only true distraction is sweet, sweet sleep.

7. "I get headaches too."

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Headaches are not, I repeat NOT equal to migraines. Migraines are considered a neurological disorder with symptoms that are incapacitating.