So Much More than a Headache: Understanding Migraine through Literature

The anthology So Much More than a Headache: Understanding Migraine through Literature, published by Kent State University Press, is a collection of imaginative works by fiction writers, poets, and essayists ranging over five centuries, some famous, some not, but most of them migraine sufferers themselves. It is directed to, first of all,  those who suffer from migraine. Here they will find the companionship of other migraine sufferers who can perhaps better express what they have grappled with to put into words for themselves and for others.  

Those others for whom this anthology is intended include medical practitioners, who may or not be specialists in migraines but also, importantly, those family members and friends who observe their suffering but want and need to understand better this disease. Those who employ or work with migraine sufferers can benefit from a better understanding of the full range of the illness, one that, to so many, can appear invisible. In a classroom setting, instructors and students can benefit by reading and discussing any common text but in this case, works concentrated on a specific range of experience, that is the literature of illness. 

As you know, literature captures the essence of all forms of joy and pain, and readers of all ages and backgrounds connect with grief and struggle. Sometimes, it helps us confront fear, hopelessness, and weariness. It cracks open the door on subjects we have buried, rationalized about, or hidden from. It tackles the grey areas of life, grappling with subjects that are not black and white, often leaving us in inevitable ambiguity rather than clear resolution.  As with literature, this state of ambiguity is where many migraineurs find themselves. There are no simple solutions for migraine and its complexity of pain and suffering; there is no “cure.” The “answers” come in fits and spurts through the right combinations of treatments, lifestyle, and support. Like my students’ struggles, which are complex and multi-layered, so is life with migraine, but literature speaks to all; it does so in a way that reaches us viscerally.  

Medical professionals must cope with the individuality of each migraine sufferer's experience; no two migraine patients are the same. The literature here demonstrates this disparity and breadth of each person’s experience; some writers focus on the aura, with amazement in some cases and fear in others. Some writers focus on the range of symptoms in each phase of the cycle, while e others capture the seemingly endless search for effective treatment. Practitioners want and need to recognize the variability of the patients with whom they work. 

Would you consider reviewing this book or helping me better get it into the hands of those who can most benefit from it?  I'd be pleased to send you a pdf of the book if you are interested.