How Much Is Your Headache Hurting Your Wallet?

HOW MUCH IS YOUR HEADACHE HURTING YOUR WALLET? AND WHAT CAN YOU DO ABOUT IT? A throbbing headache doesn't only paralyze your body with pain, but also puts a heavy strain on your wallet. If you're like the other 45 million Americans who suffer from chronic headaches, chances are you're spending a large portion of your annual salary just to keep the pain at bay. Here, we take a look at how much are Americans spending on headache treatments every year, and what cost-effective alternatives can they choose to make the pain go away for good. WHO IS AFFECTED 10% According to the National Headache Foundation (NHF), 7 in 10 Americans experience at least one headache per year, and over 10% suffer from chronic headache disorders. Research has found that women are 50% more likely to suffer from headaches, experiencing a longer and more intense pain than men. Women are also two and a half times more likely than men to develop migraines. Suffer from Chronic Headache Disorders TYPES OF HEADACHES TENSION CLUSTER HEADACHES HEADACHES 78% of all headaches Rare, but the most painful of headaches, affecting one million Americans Up to 90% of the population will experience tension headaches at some point in their lives. Average age of the sufferer is 30. Two times more likely in men than women. Occurs more often in women over 20 Result of bad posture 36 million Americans, nearly 12% of the population, suffers from migraine headaches. MIGRAINE 3 times more common in women than men. HEADACHES 3% of the population have chronic migraines, experiencing headache for at least 15 days every 6 months. TRIGGERS Less common causes of headaches: Common causes of chronic day headaches are often triggered by lifestyle factors such as: Hormonal changes -nearly 50% of women Poor posture - 3 out of 4 headaches are caused by tension at the neck level. with migraines will experience pain during their menstrual cycle. Bright, flashing lights- 85% of migraine sufferers are sensitive to bright light during a Alcohol, especially red wine, mainly due to dehydration that increases cranial pressure. migraine attack. Certain foods: processed meats, chocolate, peanuts, bananas, dairy. Lightning - patients are 28% more likely to get migraines on days when lightning strikes. Allergies - People with allergies are 14 times more likely to get migraines. Weather changes - 73% THE SOCIO-ECONOMIC BURDEN OF ILLNESS According to the World Health Organization, headache and migraine disorders cost the world economy over $200 billion every year. Annually, it is estimated that U.S. industry loses $31 billion in direct and indirect economic costs, exceeding the costs of asthma, epilepsy and ovarian cancer combined, of which $24 billion are spent for migraine treatments. Data presented at the 48th Annual Scientific Meeting of the American Headache Society estimates the following migraine care costs: Direct costs/year: Indirect costs/year: 1. Outpatient care - $6.2 billion 1. Absenteeism - $9.66 billion 2. Prescription drugs - $5.2 billion 2. Short-term disability - $1.55 billion 3. Emergency room visits -$0.5 billion 3. Workers' compensation - $0.78 billion 113 In the U.S., 113 million days of work are lost every year due to migraine disorders alone, accounting for .3% of years lost due to disability (Global Burden of Disease Study). million The domestic costs are also high, since headaches interfere with sleep, work, family life and leisure activities. days of work .3% V Migraine sufferers are 6.2% more likely to commit suicide of years lost V Migraine sufferers are three times more likely to develop depression. Sufferers are two times more predisposed to develop other chronic illnesses over the course of their lives. Other negative effects include: avoiding vacation plans for fear of headaches, reduced performance in school, and fewer social interactions. THE ALTERNATIVE RELIEF Research shows that chiropractic care can treat acute back pain and headaches more efficiently than drug therapy. In the U.S., chiropractic patients are three times more satisfied with the treatment they receive than patients seeking traditional medical care. 58% of the people resorting to chiropractic care believe it is an essential addition to their healthcare insurance plan. According to the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, during a 7-year study, patients who chose a chiropractor as their primary physician have experienced: 52% 60% 60% fewer hospital admissions 62% fewer outpatient surgeries 59% fewer days spent in hospital 59% 62% 52% savings in pharmaceutical costs Over 20 million Americans seek chiropractic care every year, managing to save up to 55% of the cost of conventional medical care. Chiropractic treatment offers significant health benefits and helps maintain good overall health and wellness in both children and adults. Sources: www.headaches.org www.americanheadachesociety.org www.achenet.org Brought to you by www.jmptonline.org www.americanmigrainefoundation.org/about-migraine www.migrainetrust.org/factsheet-cluster-headache-10908 www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/headache/headache.htm ACTIVE LIFË www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs277/en www.migraineresearchfoundation.org/fact-sheet.html CHIROPRACTIC