Student's Battle With Chronic Migraines Reveals Canada's Hidden Pain Crisis

For University of Alberta student Kearyn Hall, migraines can be debilitating. "I'm completely incapacitated when I get a migraine," she said. "You can't really deal with that on your own. Advil and Tylenol doesn't touch it." She reports having up to 20 migraines a month, some lasting a day while others can last through an entire week. "I get migraines with aura, so I get tunnel visions and then my vision goes totally blank," Hall explained. Drastic temperature and weather changes over the last year in Alberta have also increased her symptoms, and their severity. Large snowfalls, for example, can trigger her symptoms. The 22-year-old is one of around five million people in Canada, or 14 per cent of the population, who suffer with migraines. Dr. Neeraj Bector routinely treats people with migraines at WestEd Medical & Esthetic Clinic in west Edmonton. He says they are so much more than "just headaches." "The nerve starts to become irritable. It spills out some really inflammatory and irritative neuropeptides that acts in the immune system," he said. Those "hives" are caused by inflammation in the protective lining around the brain, triggering pain and other symptoms. Doctors caution weather is often one trigger among many, not the sole cause. Things like hormone changes, a lack of food and hydration and stress can all have a major impact on symptoms. "I don't think we are seeing more patients," Dr. Bector said. "I think we are seeing more severity because of the change in pressure and weather." He calls it a "hypersensitivity syndrome," where every kind of stimulus in your body is ramped up. That includes things like sensitivities to pain, sound, light and smell. Symptoms can include severe, throbbing pain, nausea and vomiting, extreme sensitivity to light and sound, changes in vision, mood changes and fatigue. While migraines are one of the leading causes of disability worldwide, they are often dismissed as stress or 'just a headache' - a misconception doctors say leads many sufferers to delay treatment. Lifestyle changes and medications can help, and doctors hope by spreading awareness, more people will understand that there are options out there. Bector said over the last few years, medication and research have come a long way. He encourages people to keep a diary of what may trigger their headaches, and when they come on to better treat the symptoms. He said carrying an emergency medication kit for when it strikes is also important, adding people often underestimate how big of an impact it's having on their life. For Hall, her symptoms have meant a lot of missed school. She's pushed through and will be achieving her undergraduate degree but says it has been difficult. She's trying a Botox treatment for the first time.