Even though the number of attacks a person has can vary widely, most sufferers have about three attacks every month. Migraine can be a severe and often times disabling biological disease. Earlier research found that migraine attacks caused Americans to spend about 112 million days in bed in 1998 alone. In general, the migraine experience is different for men and women, as well as for older and younger people. Overall, women say migraine keeps them in bed more often than men.
Women also tend to stay in bed longer with a migraine than men do.
Similarly, younger people are more likely to miss work or school and to seek bed rest than older people. But when an attack sends them to bed, older people usually stay longer than younger people. In addition to the negative impact on quality of life, migraine has a significant economic cost. For every dollar spent on migraine in 1999, about 60 cents went for visits to medical professionals. Given its high cost to society, it shouldn't be surprising that migraine can have a serious impact on a person's overall quality of life.