The ‘invisible’ condition that forced Rose out of work for three months
When Rose Murray suffered a concussion in January 2022, she expected a routine recovery.
Instead, the 27-year-old community physiotherapist was plunged into a terrifying cycle of extreme head pain, dizziness, severe nausea and debilitating light sensitivity that lasted for months.
Rose Murray was diagnosed with chronic migraine at 27 - and it took a huge physical toll. Brain Foundation
Eventually referred to a neurologist, the Sydney resident received a life-altering diagnosis of chronic migraine. The timing was catastrophic, coming three weeks into her graduate role as a physiotherapist.
Murray trialled an exhaustive series of interventions, including Botox, occipital nerve blocks and various preventative medications, yet her symptoms persisted. The physical toll soon forced her out of the workforce entirely.
“I ended up taking three months off work, followed by almost 18 months part-time, before returning to full-time work with daily modifications,” she told nine.com.au.
It took more than two years for Murray to find a treatment plan that improved her quality of life and helped her effectively manage her condition. A major part of her recovery has been managing the psychological impact.
“I found a very bidirectional relationship between my mental health and migraines. I now work closely with my GP, psychologist, exercise physiologist and physiotherapist to manage my symptoms. It takes an army!” she said.
“I’ve been incredibly lucky to have such an amazing multidisciplinary team, but I’ve also had to strongly advocate for myself and steer much of my recovery. The overlap between these conditions still isn’t well understood or integrated within our healthcare system, which can make navigating it challenging.
“My life looks different now, but to someone on the street, or even a friend, it may look the same or ‘normal’. I think the invisible nature of these conditions is sometimes the hardest part.”
“I found a very bidirectional relationship between my mental health and migraines.” Brain Foundation
Murray is sharing her story for Migraine & Headache Awareness Week (September 21-27) to try and help fellow sufferers who “may be feeling lost, as I once was”.
A hidden health crisis
Murray’s story reflects a broader national crisis that is significantly larger than previously understood.
New data from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) reveals nearly four million people are living with migraine, a figure more than double the official estimates previously relied upon by health authorities.
Approximately 71 per cent migraine sufferers in Australia are women, with many never receiving a formal diagnosis or treatment plan. Treating migraine remains notoriously complex due to the intricate web of factors that trigger attacks, like genetics and hormonal fluctuations including estrogen.
Neurologist and headache specialist Dr Katherine Spira said greater recognition could help people seek care.
“Headache is a symptom, yet migraine is a disease. People may think they have a really bad headache and simply need to tough it out,” she said.
“But if headaches come with nausea or vomiting, or sensitivity to light, sound or smell, it could be migraine. Help is available from your doctor.”
Dr Spira said access to treatment was an essential part of improving migraine care.
Carl Cincinnato, migraine patient advocate at Migraine & Headache Australia at the Brain Foundation, is calling on the government to recognise migraine as a national health priority.
He told nine.com.au the cost of diagnosis and attempts at treatments prices many Australians out of the process.
“Migraine has a huge toll in Australia because it’s underdiagnosed, under treated, and poorly managed, but it doesn’t have to be,” he said.
“[It] can be managed with the right level of understanding and support, and in partnership with your doctor. So that’s what I would encourage people to do.”
The information provided in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and should not be used as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
