Nearly 40 million Americans suffer from migraine attacks. They’ve been viewed as a ‘middle-aged white woman’s malady,’ --but research shows otherwise.

Dr. Courtney White talks about racial disparities in treatment and why the syndrome is misunderstood:

“People think it’s just a bad headache and that you can tough through it -- take some over the counter medications. And this is not true, this is a neurological disease.”

Then Jaime Sanders, who has lived with daily migraine pain for forty years, tells why she pushes for better access to care, and talks about her advocacy goals:

“To make sure that everyone is seen and heard and validated and respected. I’ve gone through so much of my life being dismissed, and I know how that feels not being believed.”

Links: Coalition for Headache and Migraine Patients, the Disparities in Headache Advisory Council, The Migraine Diva blog.

Do you have a question or comment about a show or a story idea to pitch? Contact On the Record at: Senior Supervising Producer, Maureen Harvie she/her/hers [email protected] 410-235-1903 Senior Producer, Melissa Gerr she/her/hers [email protected] 410-235-1157 Producer Sam Bermas-Dawes he/him/his [email protected] 410-235-1472