During the 19th Congress of the International Headache Society the #LightToMigraine Movement is Launched to Shed Light on Migraine, a Disease Suffered in Silence

- One in seven people worldwide suffer from migraine, a disease affecting three times more women than men.

- Migraine is the sixth most disabling disease worldwide and the second most disabling neurological disease.

MADRID, Sept. 5, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- A seventh of the world population, about a billion people, lives in the dark, suffering in silence the symptoms of migraine, a disease that, despite its extent, lacks the recognition it deserves. The European Migraine and Headache Alliance (EMHA) has presented, as special guest during the 19th Congress of the International Headache Society, the movement #LightToMigraine, an initiative arising from the need to generate knowledge about what migraine and chronic headache mean, and what it represents for sufferers.

Elena Ruiz de la Torre, Executive Director of the European Migraine and Headache Alliance, promoter of this campaign, commented "a billion people in the world suffer from migraine and this makes them live in the dark. That's why it's vital we join forces to bring light into their lives through initiatives such as #LightToMigraine".

This action at IHC 2019, where the world's most prestigious headache specialists share their knowledge about the latest advances in headache treatment, have invited the European patient representatives, leaded by EMHA, to shed light on this disease.

Migraine is the sixth most disabling disease worldwide and the second most disabling neurologically. However, it remains very poorly recognized, diagnosed and treated, and lacks research support. This movement seeks to engage patients, the healthcare sector, the public sector and society in general to drive research and education, thus improving patients' quality of life, early diagnosis and access to effective treatment.

Migraine, which affects 18% of women and 6% of men worldwide, is not just a headache, it's a neurological disease characterized by symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, sensitivity to light, sound, tiredness and other brain disorders.

EMHA presented this campaign by simulating a blackout as a metaphor for the situation in which people with migraine live. People with migraine have to deal the same life than normal people, with the difference that they have to suffer episodic debilitating migraine attacks all along their life. This makes them extraordinary. Far from being considered weak, they deserve recognition, respect and help from specialists and the rest of the world.

About The European Migraine & Headache Alliance

The European Migraine & Headache Alliance (EMHA) is a non-profit umbrella organization, that includes more than 30 patient associations for Migraine, Cluster Headache, Trigeminal Neuralgia and other headache diseases, across Europe. 

The Alliance was launched in 2006 and since then, our aim is to speak on behalf of and to advocate for the rights and needs of the 138 million people^[1] in Europe living with headache disorders.

EMHA is an active member of the European Federation of Neurological Alliances [EFNA], the International Association of Patient Organizations [IAPO], the European Patients Forum [EPF] and also works closely with different organizations such as the European Headache Federation [EHF], European Brain Council [EBC], the International Headache Society [IHS] among others.

^[1] Stovner LJ et l. Lancer Neurol 2018; 17:954-76

•  Download the video and images of the campaign here: http://bit.ly/2kqCAYX