1. Migraines are more than just bad headaches.
The word "migraine" has come to be synonymous with a really bad headache, but it's actually a genetic disorder. If you're diagnosed with migraines, it means you're genetically predisposed to have a lower threshold for migraine-causing stimuli (called triggers), says Dr. Merle Diamond, president of the Diamond Headache Clinic in Chicago.
About 45–48 million Americans suffer from migraines, and the average person gets three attacks per month, each one lasting an average of about 10 hours, she says. Migraines do mean really bad headaches, but they also mean an assortment of other symptoms like nausea, vomiting, dizziness, and sensitivity to light and sound.