If you suffer from migraines, chances are you know how debilitating they can be. Migraines can have you in bed for hours or days at a time awaiting relief. But there is even more than meets the pained eye when it comes to migraines.
Have you ever stopped to consider some of the hidden financial costs associated with your migraines? You may need to miss work if you are in extreme pain, you may require several doctor's visits and medical testing, and you will probably have to take some kind of medication. Take a look at a few of the hidden costs of migraines.
- Missed Work
Let's face it, sometimes your migraines are so bad that you can't even get yourself out of bed--let alone make it in to the office. Calling in sick is sometimes necessary for migraine sufferers. Unless you have sufficient sick time or some other kind of flex pay, there goes at least a full day of income from your paycheck. Even if you do make it in to the office, you may have difficulty concentrating, either taking longer than usual to do your work or performing poorly. These are costly mistakes at any workplace. - Doctor's Visits
You can only suffer for so long before visiting a doctor for some relief. Often, patients start by visiting their general practitioner. If you have insurance, you'll still have a co-pay for the visit. Just to make sure there aren't any other problems or conditions that should be treated, your doctor may send you for further testing or to a specialist. Those co-pays add up! - Medication
There are many different medications available for migraine sufferers. Sometimes, for less severe migraines, a simple over-the-counter pain reliever is all that it takes to knock out a migraine. In other cases, however, the migraine may require prescription pain treatment.
Physicians can prescribe pain relievers that work once the migraine has begun. These are taken only after the onset of a migraine, so financially, they are similar to over-the-counter pain relievers. Unfortunately, you're still dealing with the pain and effects of the migraine until the pain medication works. Another option is preventative medicine. Rather than taking this mediation only when in pain, these migraine sufferers take medication daily or many times a day. Refilling prescriptions on a monthly basis really adds up financially, but it may be worth it to feel relief.
Migraines are one of the worst kinds of headaches to suffer through. Unfortunately there are also financial costs as well as physical costs associated with these headaches. From missed work, to medical expenses and prescriptions, suffering financially from a migraines can really give you a headache.
