Group launches migraine education drive

"We would like people to know that migraines are very common; even famous people like Elvis Presley and Claude-Oscar Monet suffered from them."

Wang Shu-chun, Taiwan Headache Society chairman

Hospitalization may be able to help people who suffer from serious and chronic migraines, relieve their pain and return to a normal life, a non-profit organization said yesterday.

The Taiwan Headache Society launched the "Migraine Day of Action" campaign two days ahead of its European counterparts to promote better public understanding of migraines.

Society chairman Wang Shu-chun (王署君) said at a press conference that the established literature shows that the illness affects about 10 percent of the population in Taiwan and most of the victims are female.

The WHO also regards the illness as one of the major factors affecting people's work productivity, he said.

"We would like people to know that migraines are very common; even famous people like Elvis Presley and Claude-Oscar Monet suffered from them," Wang said.

"But, it can be treated," he said.

According to Wang, who is also a neurologist at Taipei Veterans General Hospital, people who suffer frequent migraines and do not respond to normal pain-killers can receive medication primarily used to treat high blood pressure, nausea, depression and epilepsy.

He said at least half of the pain his patients suffered was reduced after they took these treatment for three to six months.

For those who do not respond well to oral medication, hospitalization is another alternative, Fu Chung-ling (傅中玲), a neurologist at Taipei Veterans General Hospital, said in a presentation.

"Most people do not understand why migraine patients should be hospitalized, but many people who suffer from chronic headaches, over-dependence on pain-killers and serious migraines, need to check in to hospitals," she said at the conference.

She said hospitalized patients are placed on 24-hour intravenous drips to "stabilize" their body's chemical balance.

She said 63 percent of the 135 hospitalized migraine patients in the veteran hospital in 2000 had their their migraines completely eradicated.