So Much More than a Headache: Understanding Migraine through Literature

09/27/2025

Because no, migraine is not just a headache! Stay strong everyone, take care of yourself. 🫂❤️‍🩹

09/23/2025

How about these crazy weather changes affecting our migraines? How do you cope with these conditions, since we have no control over them being a trigger?

Check out “So Much More than a Headache: Understanding Migraines to read a lot of literature-stories, poems, and essays about every day people like you and me suffering from this trigger.

09/05/2025

It's "Things I Wish I Knew About Migraine" Thursday!

The migraine brain works differently all the time – Even when you’re not having an attack, your brain is still processing things differently.

Research has proven the migraine brain works differently all the time, not just during attacks. We don’t know yet whether it is entirely a result of the different genes, or because of regular attacks changing the way the brain works, but function MRI studies have found the ions travel through a migraine brain faster, and that migraine brains have more short cuts in the neural pathways.

Lots of people with migraine talk faster than those without migraine, and some of us can learn faster, adapt faster, and are generally more resilient. Some with migraine with aura will notice they always have a heightened sense or ability, such as a stronger sense of smell or hearing, or maybe they have great attention to detail, or some other thing they can do better and faster than most.

We look forward to more research in this area so we can learn more about what is different (and good!) about having a migraine brain. 🧠
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4412887/

08/16/2025

Isn’t this the truth?

Misunderstood. That’s how 9 out of 10 people with migraine feel when they try to explain their experience.

Migraine is more than just a headache — it’s the second most disabling disease in the world, according to the WHO. It’s a neurological condition, and it’s time we treat it like one.

07/30/2025

Check out Connecticut Public Radio’s Show: “The Colin MCenroe Show” today on your NPR station or your favorite Podcast.

07/30/2025

I’m proud that my book and an excerpt of the interview I did with New York Times journalist Tom Zeller are included in the newly released “The Headache.” We will both be on today’s Connecticut Public Radio’s feature on Headaches, as well.

06/21/2025

Today is World Migraine Awareness Day.
And it’s not just “another awareness day.”
It’s a day to shine a light on a reality that’s still too invisible.
A silent pain — but a very real one.

At MigrainMiracle, we get it.
We know what it’s like to cancel plans, again.
To hide away in the dark while others carry on.
To be in pain, without it showing.
And sometimes, without being understood.

But what we know most of all is just how strong you are.
And how beautiful this community is — supportive, kind, human.
That’s our greatest pride. 🧡

So today, we just want to say: we’re here. Truly.
To support you. To keep pushing things forward, together.
Because no — migraine is still not taken seriously enough.
And yes — we need awareness, empathy, and better solutions.

Today, we raise our voices for migraine.
So it can finally be seen. And heard.
And we do it together. As always. 💪

05/19/2025

You’ll be interested in this opportunity:

Join us May 30 for CoMorbidityCon, a FREE event exploring the connection between migraine and comorbidities. Let's come together and learn from one another. 💬 Register at https://lnkd.in/emUYVPrx

04/07/2025

A recent comment on my interview for “Armchair Scholars” podcast:

“I found this to be a great interview. I appreciate Kathy O’Shea’s explanation of what it is like to live with Migraine Disease. I look forward to reading and sharing her book with the Migraine community. I also appreciate the active listening and dialogue the interviewers provided. It is hopeful to see younger individuals (especially men) engaged and gaining a better understanding of the disease. I am also pleased that for the most part the term/word “Migraine” was used in singular form, as it should be. By referring to Migraine in a singular form it will help to teach society that someone living with this brain disease always has it. It presents in attacks or flares that can be experienced at different levels from one individual to another. Our community is working hard to teach that it should only be referred in the singular form to help breakdown stigma. For example if someone has Asthma their attacks are not referred to as “Asthmas”. They are always living with the condition, regardless of how often they have attacks. As it is with Migraine.
In the beginning of the interview when Kathy was trying to find the word “hysteria” it made me think of a great book by Joanna Kempner titled “Not Tonight: Migraine and the Politics of Gender and Health”. I highly recommend reading it.

04/07/2025

Migraine remains a poorly understood illness…The syndrome is too various, too complex, to mixed up with external stimuli and the personality of the sufferer..I have come to understand that my…

03/09/2025

I surely recognize and respect that people have very different views about this issue, but I support the opportunity. Worth a read.

02/05/2025

Important to watch!