Migraine: Understanding a Common Disorder Expanded and Updated

I read this book a few years ago when my irregular migraine attacks had become more frequent. I had them from about age 15 until now, for the first decades maybe once or twice per year, then for a while more often, now less often and less severe. It took me decades to have a name for this thing at all. I have moved about so often that I never saw one medical doctor often enough to get so specific and scientific as to find names for afflictions. I discovered this Sacks book on migraines when I read his Hat book. Sacks helped me to understand my problem. Most impressed was I by artistic renderings of the aura, which is the most scary phenomenon, as long as you don't know a name for it. Understanding the problem does not do away with it, but you develop a rational attitude. I know now that it comes when it comes, that no special drug helps against it, that strong painkillers reduce the problem. I had some accupuncture treatments and now it still comes, but the individual attacks are milder, I can usually function like nearly normal as soon as the aura is over, which lasts rarely longer than half an hour. Formerly I would sometimes be out of action for a whole day. I still hate noise and light like hell for hours afterwards.

After my migraines greatly escalated in frequency over the past year, I decided that it would be wise to get more information, hence the reading of this classic. First published in 1970, and revised in 1985 and 1992, Migraine contains a wealth of facts, case studies, ideas, and speculation relating to the complex, elusive phenomenon of migraine. Perhaps I should say 'phenomena', since no two migraines seem to be the same. Dr. Sacks has treated over 1000 migraineurs, and appears to have read and studied everything, ancient and modern, relating to migraine. I learned a tremendous amount about what afflicts me by reading this book, and I also unlearned some of what I thought I knew, such as that migraine aura is caused by a vasoconstriction, which is followed by a pain-producing vasodilatation (i.e. the discredited vasomotor theory of migraine). But, as with any good book written by an inspired, thoughtful author, Migraine is about much more than its principle subject. Dr. Sacks is so well read and so fundamentally curious and enthralled by the universe he finds himself in, that the reader cannot help but be sucked along in his jet stream, learning about such things as the visions of Hildegard of Bingen, Dostoyevsky's epileptic ecstasies, Novalis' dictum 'every disease is a musical problem; every cure a musical solution', as well as chaos theory and self-organising systems. I found the only weak chapter to be the one entitled 'Psychological Approaches to Migraine'. It would be better entitled 'Psycho-analytical Approaches to Migraine' since in it Dr. Sacks seems to accept and promote the most bizarre and outrageous of the unscientific ravings of the 'Viennese witch doctor'. Oh well. The many case studies quoted in Migraine are illuminating, invaluable and make for fascinating reading. It is important for the migraineur, as well as for family and therapeutic practitioners, to realise that there is much more to migraine that just the pain of the headache. Dr. Sacks' description of the various sources of depression that can accompany migraine was particularly valuable to me. Depression may not only be in response to the pain, nausea and oppression of a headache, it can be an independent symptom that accompanies all of the other symptoms concurrently. Although, for a non-medical person, Migraine can be tough sledding in parts, Dr. Sacks is a wonderful, elegant, and inspired writer. There is a very helpful and considerate glossary supplied, in addition to an excellent index. I found Migraine a joy to read and only hope that Dr. Sacks can find time in his busy life to grace us with a new updated edition.

Are migraines curable? Mine are gone. And during the time when they were at their worst, this book by Oliver Sacks was my salvation, my companion, and my way of coping. Information about the symptoms of migraine was invaluable to me; aspects of my health that had baffled, frightened and defeated me were explained here in ways that I could comprehend. Migraines left me, apparently forever, several years ago, and I'm convinced that this book was instrumental in that. The more I read, the more I understood, the easier it was for me to deal with the problem. Oliver Sacks is a healer, and this book was a healing experience for me. Highly recommended. I recommend for all migraine sufferers that they explore this. And of course, the book is beautifully written as are all Oliver Sacks' books. His contribution to health care and health study in our time is immense -- beyond calculation. --- In response to other reviews posted here, let me suggest that there are many things migraine sufferers can do which might help them. To say simply that migraine is incurable, that it's genetic -- that perhaps invites a pessimism about the problem which does not serve the people experiencing this pain. This is a great book.

I found this book at a time when I was having weekly migraines and feeling very lost as to how to handle them anymore. I was shocked to find not only my specific type of migraine dealt with here, but also the abdominal migraines I had as a child, which even a pediatric neurologist confessed he'd only read about. It seems from this book that a crucial aspect of migraine is the holding-back of something emotionally. There is so much information from Dr. Sacks (yes, a bit dry at times, but at most other times readable and even entertaining) that you can read this book in a nonlinear fashion, picking it up and putting it down, skimming until you find what's useful to your specific situation. Dr. Sacks found in two years of his study that over half the people he examined stopped having migraines! Why? Because he was taking an avid interest in them several times a month, and the migraine was no longer necessary as an embodiment of something the patients weren't dealing with emotionally.Obviously there are many more causes of migraine, but for me that was immensely helpful and, over time and with better communication, I now only get them a couple of times a year, knowing that I can turn to this book to find out virtually anything I need to know. When I had my first optical migraine, I didn't panic because I'd seen the drawings in this book of the schomata (sp?) and knew what it was. If you have migraines and can read, do yourself a favor and get a copy of this book. I don't care if you find it new or used. Just get it, and start skimming. You will find yourself in its pages and can perhaps start on the road to healing.

Run, don't walk, to get this book, if you or anyone you know suffers from migraine. By a terrific doctor who is a migraine sufferer himself, you will be amazed at how many symptoms a migraineur can have that are not even a headache. This is a widely misdiagnosed and incorrectly treated malady and sufferers need to be INFORMED about what is happening to them and why it is happening. Save yourself lots of grief and pain, read this book and you will be well armed in your fight for relief from this horrible malady.I'm updating this review due to some of the unbelievably idiotic negative reviews some have given this book, one who admits they haven't even read it! After reading this book several years ago and most anything else published on migraine since, I can still say this is the book that is an absolute "Must Read" for any migraineur. You can't properly seek treatment until you understand what migraine actually is, not a 'headache' but a neurological disease, and this book will arm you with the most important weapon there is - correct information!