Migraines are among the top three most common diseases in America. These migraines affect more than 20% of individuals in the United States, prevalent mostly for adults aged 25 to 55. This means that many individuals affected are in their most formative stage in life as workers and employees.
Migraines allow workplace productivity to decrease, which more or less affects the entire economy as a whole. Employees who experience migraines will usually not be able to continue to work. In America, about $14 billion of productivity loss is caused by migraines annually. Despite this disease’s gravity, individuals suffering from migraines are still looked down upon in the workplace because of the public’s lack of understanding.
How migraines reduce workplace productivity
Migraines are more intense than headaches as they can be a moderate or severe throbbing pain felt on one side of the head. Along with this pain comes numerous symptoms such as nausea, sensitivity to light and sound, and possibly vomiting. This can last for a couple of hours and even days.
As the pain can be extreme, it usually stands in the way of completing simple activities and tasks in your day-to-day life, especially in the workplace. Migraines are due to the thalamic system’s issues, which is the system that delivers and gets sensory signals. For women, migraines can be due to hormonal changes. That being said, women are more affected by migraines compared to men.
Being in the workplace while experiencing a migraine can lead you to behave in a way that can negatively impact your environment. General irritability and pain can be triggered by the stress that comes with your work, bright lights from screens and light fixtures, inadequate ventilation, and so much more.
Most employees who experience migraines often take many sick days or exhibit presenteeism, which is the tendency of workers to come to work even if they are not supposed to because of sickness or other causes. Most employees who stubbornly still go to work with migraines and attempt to get productive fail. As a result, more work hours are wasted when employees go to work without doing anything other than staying home. This is because employees who have migraines will usually have trouble concentrating and focusing on work.
Working long hours will no longer be possible because of an increased chance of fatigue. To solve this issue, here are some ways to prevent and treat migraines to optimize productivity in the workplace.
How to prevent and treat migraines
Most individuals will most likely not know how to deal with migraines as this disease is usually neglected despite its severe and intense nature. Here are some solutions for this problem.
The primary thing an individual can do is to take care of oneself in the form of staying hydrated, eating full meals, getting an adequate amount of sleep, and exercising. Dehydration may be one of the most common triggers of a migraine. Having too much caffeine can also be bad for some people who experience migraines.
That is why it is essential to get some sleep and drink more water. It is best to avoid skipping meals, as being hungry can be one reason why a headache will worsen. Try to avoid making the symptoms of a migraine worse by avoiding bright lights and staying in a calming environment where one can rest and get some sleep. Remember not to neglect what the body is saying and take a break when work gets too stressful.
Special Botox treatments can also be a way to treat migraines. These treatments are normally safe and effective in treating wrinkles and fine lines around the eyes and the forehead.
Despite Botox being famously used for cosmetic purposes, it can also be a form of treatment for eye muscle problems, neck spasms, and chronic migraines. Botox is a type of preventive therapy where a drug made from Clostridium botulinum is injected into the body. There is a temporary paralysis of the muscles in the body as chemical signals are blocked from the nerves. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved this effective treatment for individuals experiencing chronic migraines.
Overall, migraines can be a detrimental factor that affects the levels of productivity at work. Industries have already lost a lot due to employees being absent or exhibiting presenteeism. It is crucial to take extra care of one’s body to prevent any more losses in the future.
Migraines are serious diseases that are usually not treated seriously by most individuals. It might affect one’s standing at work more than he/she would think. Therefore, it is essential to practice a healthy lifestyle and help out anyone in the workplace who might experience the same thing.
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