Findings from the Migraine Impact Report reveal that, among respondents, people diagnosed with migraine experienced, on average, 15.4 completely pain-free days over the previous 30 days.

The report, sponsored by Eli Lilly and Company, also highlights the impact of migraine on a person’s day-to-day-life, with respondents noting the symptoms of their migraine prevented them from doing what they wanted to do for 1 week (6.9 days) over the previous 30 days.

The Migraine Impact Report evaluated the physical, social, and economic challenges of migraine. Respondents included 1,018 US adults, including 518 people who have been diagnosed with migraine by a healthcare provider, 200 people who know someone with migraine, and 300 community members who do not know someone with migraine.

Notably, the worst migraine pain ranked higher than that of childbirth among those surveyed who had experienced both (n=244, an average score of 8.6 compared to 7.3, on a scale of one to 10). Respondents diagnosed with migraine on average rated the worst migraine pain similarly to that of the “most painful thing I have ever experienced” (8.6 compared to 8.7), and higher than both the pain associated with kidney stones and broken bones (8.3 and 7.0, respectively).

“As a practicing neurologist, I saw firsthand both the burden faced by people living with this often disabling, neurological disease, and the feeling that people must ‘power through’ their lives because those around them may not understand just how all-encompassing migraine can be,” said Sheena Aurora, MD, medical fellow, Eli Lilly and Company, in a media release.

“Results from the Migraine Impact Report support what physicians who care for patients with migraine have known for many years. The results also demonstrate the severity of this disease and the pervasive impact migraine has on an individual’s personal, family and professional life,” states Dr Timothy R. Smith, MD, RPh, FACP, Vice President, National Headache Foundation.

“These findings shine a spotlight on the serious need for additional treatment options for the more than 36 million Americans battling with migraine, many of whom lack a treatment option that addresses their symptoms and allows them to function in their day-to-day lives or which is tolerable for them.”

The Migraine Impact Report’s executive summary lists the specific findings from the survey.

[Source(s): Eli Lilly and Company, PR Newswire]